Dr. Monroe is known for her approachable style and she has a penchant for helping people overcome the nervousness that often accompanies the very ambitious and very personal endeavor of seeking counseling.  She is interactive, transparent, non-judgmental, and fundamentally optimistic. 

In practice, Dr. Monroe’s methods stem from three major philosophies:

Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT):  This is a classic, respected, and repeatedly clinically proven method for counseling children and adults.  It centers on shifting our thoughts (cognitions) and our actions (behaviors) while increasing our awareness to the ways these dynamics impact our lives.  In more depth, CBT therapy explores emotions and somatic (body) experiences in addition to thoughts and actions.  Cognitive-behavioral methods are effective in treating depression and anxiety, but more generally, can help all people to experience more control and success in life.  Traditional cognitive-behavioral authors include David Burns and Aaron Beck. 

Mindfulness: In psychology, mindfulness describes a method for integrating eastern philosophy and ideas into western psychological theories and practice.  It entails fostering non-judgmental awareness of ourselves and our experiences by cultivating focus and appreciation of the present moment.  This process shifts our relationships with our problems, such that we develop a wider range of skills with which to approach life.For instance, “cognitive-behavioral” methods are often successful in treating depression.  Still, depression relapse is common.  When clinicians incorporate mindfulness into cognitive behavioral methods, relapse rates decrease due to better daily habits of noticing and responding to stress.  Some well-respected authors on the subject of mindfulness include: Daniel Siegel, Jon Kabat-Zinn, Ellen Langer, Zindel Segal, John Teasdale, Mark Epstein and Cheri Huber.

Positive Psychology: Historically, psychology has focused primarily on problems, including mental health diagnoses and treatments.  Indeed, this is important and useful research.  However, psychologists usually find that after treating specific problems, people are still left with the question of how to create truly fulfilled lives.  For instance, people who overcome depression often feel empty rather than happy.  Positive psychology actively seeks to develop a direction toward positive goals.  Utilizing extensive research on resiliency, character strengths, and the origins of happiness, these techniques train individuals to become truly happier.  Positive psychology was developed by Martin Seligman.  Other respected authors in the field of resiliency and happiness include Daniel Gilbert, Robert Brooks and Sam Goldstein.