MIRIAM CAMPION, LCSW
Welcome, take a seat, and have a cup of tea.
Your time to slowly unpack what has been buried or ignored, be with yourself, and be with me.
I am a therapist who partners with individual adults and couples, ultimately working to create more connection, whether it’s with yourself, others in your life, myself initially, or your partner. I work to create a safe space to be with yourself, as this is the first step.
I take a holistic, trauma-informed approach, that will explore your thoughts, and often unspoken underlying beliefs, rules or assumptions that can drive our choices. I also focus on creating space to feel your feelings and what shows up in your body, as this is often where we find our truth and wisdom. As a therapist with a background in social work, I acknowledge the role of oppression and barriers, and help discover new ways of being that are more aligned with who you want to be, providing information on research or skills as useful.
Outside of being a therapist, I am Filipino American, familiar with navigating two cultures, a woman in a larger body, and a fellow traveler of this life, who has personally found therapy useful for coming home to myself and my own relationships
What it’s like to work with me
Having been licensed for over five years, I’ve had the honor of working with hundreds of people. Many of my clients have described me as warm, relatable, non-judgmental, and understanding. Colleagues have referred their clients who need a more gentle personality or approach, and clients who find a more structured approach, or a therapist who presents as the “expert”, a poor fit.
Clients who have found me a good fit are often looking for someone more relational, approachable, and open, want more space for processing and emotional support, and want their choices and pace to be heard and respected.
We will set treatment goals, and each week you can bring what feels most salient to the heart, I trust these are often related to larger goals. My approach is mostly informed by my trauma lens, my training in how to work with shame, training in self-compassion, body acceptance work, Hakomi, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy- ACT. ACT is an evidenced based approach that helps us be with our difficult emotions and sensations, and move towards our values and a meaningful life through small actions we are willing to take. Hakomi is a mindfulness and somatic based therapy guided by the principles of non-violence, mindfulness, unity, holism, integration, loving presence, and organicity.
MY GUIDING VALUES
COMPASSION
When we are truly seen, loved, and accepted just as we are, being compassionate to ourselves can come more naturally. Many of us haven’t experienced this and we internalize feeling defective or unworthy in some way. I see one of my main roles as being compassionate, and modeling compassion, so that you can begin to internalize this resource.
BE A REAL PERSON
The therapeutic relationship is one of the largest contributors to therapy being helpful, and you can expect me to show up as a real person. Because so much of our wounding has happened in relationships, much healing can occur in relationship too. Though you can expect me to be in the role of “therapist”, you can also expect me to be human, have quirks, imperfections, be moved by you, like you, and appropriately share part of my own experience.
PRESENCE
Most of what we haven’t been able to face is what we’ve had to face alone or found overwhelming. As humans, just not being alone in something brings some peace, courage, and strength. For our sessions it’s important to me that I’m in it with you, and grounded enough to hold perspective and space. Presence should be FELT not just seen.
ACCEPTANCE/TRAUMA-INFORMED
I put these two together because being trauma-informed cultivates acceptance. All of us survived and adapted to our environments the best we could. Most of the behaviors, patterns, or traits we struggle with are old survival strategies, that are hard wired and difficult to move away from. I look to see and embrace the true you outside of the strategies, hold understanding and compassion for the parts and behaviors you struggle with, and accept the life and choices you make.
TRAINING & EDUCATION
I’m committed to ongoing education & training to best support you.
Education
BA in Sociology and Music Composition
MA in Social Work, emphasis in mental health
Training
Lyon/Rubin Method for Healing Shame
Completion of Level 1 of Hakomi Method
Training in Mindful Self-Compassion
Training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
Training in Emotionally Focused Therapy for couples and Gottman Method