“I will not let anyone walk through my mind with their dirty feet.”
― Mahatma Gandhi

Clean, comfortable, cozy and safe — those are some of the ways clients describe my New Paltz office. The goal is to create a space that is comfortable and inviting, a place where you want to spend time and where you feel relaxed enough to truly participate in the therapy.

One thing I find important is trying to help my clients to focus on themselves and their story. For that reason, I request that shoes remain outside the door. Like the Gandhi quote, we want to leave external negative forces outside, this allows us to concentrate on releasing the ones that do come in with you.

The act of removing one’s shoes is symbolic, it is the first step in releasing the challenges of the day and relaxing into our time, that is why so many of us kick off our shoes after a long day. Therapy is your time and your space. It is where you come to release the weight of the world, learn to deal with stressors and let go of all that does not serve you and your growth.

Taking off shoes helps you feel grounded. It allows you to feel more connected to the space, your body and your truth. Removing your shoes prior to entering my office becomes a ritual. My clients sit on the bench, take off their shoes and take a deep breath and release it. In those small moments, they are able to shift their perspective and prepare themselves to be present and grounded for their session.

So welcome…and please, take your shoes off.