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Psychotherapy Approach
I have an active style. Although I listen well, I expect to talk with you and, at times, challenge you to learn, change, and grow in order to achieve your therapy goals.
I treat everything you bring to therapy with care and respect. At the same time, I have a sense of humor, and am not shy about using it when it seems appropriate and helpful to you.
I treat our first session as a mutual assessment of our "fit" as therapist and client. If I think I can help you, I'll tell you. If I feel I'm not a good fit for you, I'll let you know, and if you wish I'll refer you to other professionals whom I feel might be a good fit for you.
If we decide to work together, I'll be asking a number of questions during our first few sessions. After that, I'll present my sense of what you've told me, ensure I'm understanding you well, and work with you to define your goals for therapy. I'll then present a plan to you for how we'll achieve those goals, get your feedback, and revise the plan if necessary.
In couples therapy, I focus not only on improving communication, increasing intimacy, and resolving differences, but also on understanding and accepting individual responsibility for contributions to relationship problems. Often it's very important to have a more complete understanding of what triggers fear and anxiety in yourself and your partner.
I believe that you have within you the building blocks for the change that you're seeking. I work mostly in the present, dipping into your past or future when it serves you. I work mostly from a cognitive-behavioral, family systems, and humanistic orientation, although I integrate elements of developmental, psychodynamic and transpersonal psychology when that matches your needs.
Please notice that I refer to you as my client, not as my patient. To me, "patient" unfortunately evokes the traditional view of a doctor healing a "sick" patient by doing things (eg. performing surgery, prescribing medication) to and for the patient. I work with and for my clients. And my clients' challenges range across a very wide spectrum: from significant illnesses and disorders, to more standard stresses and emotional pain, to a simple desire for growth.
Here's what some of my colleagues are saying about my work.
I look forward to talking with you.
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