My Approach

 

I believe that psychotherapy is a series of conversations with an educated, empathetic, and experienced listener. 

 

In psychotherapy, our goal is to understand who you are and what drives you, which in turn helps guide you toward making better decisions and finding more satisfaction in your life. 

My perspective is psychodynamic. I focus on understanding the whole person, especially conflicts and feelings that are outside of awareness.  Most of us seek psychotherapy because we want to change, but we are not sure how to change, or why it is so hard to change.  Discovering more about aspects of yourself in a safe therapy relationship is one of the most effective means of personal change.  

 
 
 
 

My Services

 I work with a wide range of couple problems, including:

  • Difficulty communicating

  • Repetitive conflicts and unproductive fighting

  • Lack of intimacy and sexual problems

  • Affairs and their aftermath

  • Conflicts about money

  • Marital crises

  • Impact of addictions

  • Conflicting parenting styles

  • Stresses of parenting adolescents, ill children, and children with learning challenges

  • Stresses of aging

  • Deciding to separate or divorce

  • Co-parenting during and after divorce

  • Adjusting to blended families

  • Difficulties with in-laws and families of origin

 

Individual problems I treat include:

  • Depression and sadness

  • Anxiety, worry, and stress

  • Grief and loss

  • Problems in intimate relationships, including sexual intimacy, difficulties with commitment, and difficulties figuring out whether to "stay or go"

  • Work-related difficulties, including interpersonal conflicts and career decisions

  • Identity issues, including sexual and gender identity

  • Establishing healthy boundaries with family of origin

  • "Failure to launch," and other challenges with leaving home

  • Transition to parenthood, and the decision to have children, including adoption, surrogacy, and fostering

Choosing a Therapist

Choosing a therapist can feel like a daunting task, especially if you are in crisis.  Here are a few suggestions for navigating the process:

  • Don’t wait. You owe yourself the most satisfying life you can have, and problems have a way of becoming harder to solve the longer you wait to address them. 

  • Give yourself time to find the right therapist. Ask around for recommendations and then do your own research.  Make sure to speak voice-to-voice with a prospective therapist.  Don’t be shy about asking about his or her training, credentials, and approach to therapy.  Communicate about your scheduling needs and any financial constraints you may have.

  • Consider meeting with more than one therapist at the outset. Finding a therapist you want to work with is important.  Meeting face-to-face for a session or two can help you determine whether you feel it is a good “fit.”  It’s normal to feel a bit anxious or uncomfortable at an initial session.  But the right therapist should inspire some sense of confidence that the relationship will grow in comfort and trust, and that you will be able to share your deeper thoughts and feelings over time.