I work with individuals who are facing a variety of issues including:
- anxiety
- depression
- loneliness / social isolation
- grief / loss
- self-esteem
- eating disorders / body image
- compulsivity / addictions
- male sexuality
- LGBT / sexual orientation issues
- career impasse / professional blocks
- anger-management
- history of childhood trauma or neglect.
HOW I WORK
It is hard to describe what it feels like to be in therapy since no two therapeutic relationships are the same and I take great pains to tailor my approach to the unique needs presented by each of my clients. Broadly speaking, though, I work in a “psychodynamic-relational” vein, with a strong humanistic streak that values personal responsibility and present experience. While I may introduce some cognitive-behavioral elements as a first step, particularly with clients who face a lot of anxiety when they first come into therapy, I am primarily trained to facilitate a depth therapy (“psychodynamic”) approach that aims to uncover the deeper motivations, wishes, fears, memories and beliefs about what we can expect from ourselves and from others. I also find that it can sometimes be useful to examine the relationship dynamics that arise in our sessions, not only to collaboratively explore how we both participate in that interesting dance, but also to illuminate broader attachment patterns that may exist outside of therapy (an approach that is sometimes referred to as “relational.”)
In addition to looking at how family-of-origin events may drive our behavior and core beliefs, I encourage my clients to bring awareness to the present moment. I take a transparent approach to our work, and welcome feedback from my clients about how our sessions are going and input about what would be most useful at any given moment. I believe that good therapy requires courage and vulnerability, from both client and therapist, and I am sensitive to the fact that coming into therapy for the first time can bring up anxiety, apprehension and sometimes a sense of shame. Most importantly, I exercise a profoundly non-judgmental attitude towards my clients.
By identifying unique strengths and internal resources they can depend upon, my clients often feel empowered to take more personal responsibility in their lives, leading to greater aliveness and authenticity. The rewards of this work can also include greater resilience, the ability to generate richer internal self-experience, the maintenance of a better sense of equilibrium during times of stress and – last but not least — improved relationships with others and expanded professional opportunities.
