I provide individual, marital, and family therapy services to children and adults. As a psychologist, I use a very collaborative and active process to help you reach your goals. Psychotherapy involves talking through and examining your issues to better understand yourself, your thought and mood patterns, your behavior patterns, and what may be driving the current problem(s). Before you come in, I will talk with you on the phone to get a general idea of what you want to work on. I’ll ask you to come to our first meeting with some notes about the issues you are encountering and with some goals in mind. Most people find it relieving to start this process, knowing it will be focused, safe, and confidential.
I am frequently asked to help with:
- Individual and Family Therapy with Children and Adults
- Marital and Relationship Counseling
- Parenting and Step-Parenting Counseling
- Anxiety Disorders
- Depression and Mood Disorders
- Child Behavior Problems
- Divorce-Related Issues
- Loss and Grief Issues
- Stress Management
At our first session, I will gather a lot of information about you to help me better understand your particular situation. I bring a lot of experience to the process, and will incorporate a variety of brief therapy techniques (cognitive-behavioral , family systems, mindfulness, solution-focused brief therapy, and Gottman-based marital therapy) to develop a plan that will work for you. I am committed to providing “evidence-based” techniques that have been shown through research to be effective. I often assign “homework” (readings, keeping logs, self-monitoring, as well as specific exercises) so that you are actively engaged in the process and incorporating skills into your daily life.
While I primarily work from a brief therapy model, the actual length of therapy will depend on the complexity of the issues and your particular goals. I am generally able to give you an estimate on treatment length after an initial assessment of your needs (1 – 2 sessions). I view the therapeutic process as an opportunity to learn new skills, new ways of thinking through your issues, and as an opportunity to learn new models for how to resolve future issues. It is not unusual for me to work with an individual on a particular issue troubling them and to then resume working with them at another point in their lives to work on a different piece. Life is a long road full of many curves and detours; therapy is not designed as a place to “solve every issue”. Therapy is about giving you the resilience to deal with what life may present.
To promote healthy resilience, I emphasize a holistic approach which, in addition to psychotherapeutic strategies, will often include focusing on exercise, sleep habits, nutrition, and engaging in meaningful activities. I am very amenable to working with other important resources in your life to help you achieve your goals (including your physician, former therapists, your clergy, and any family members whom you wish me to have contact with). For individuals who may also benefit from the use of medication, I work closely with physicians and psychiatrists to coordinate treatment. Of course, your sessions with me are strictly confidential, and I would only have contact with outside resources with your written request.
Marriage And Family Therapy
About half of my practice involves seeing couples and families to help with relationship issues or to deal with significant changes in the family. When working with couples, I will
ask to see the couple together for the initial session so that I can hear more about their perceptions of the problem(s) and goals, and so that I can observe their interaction. I will then usually ask to see each spouse individually for at least one session.
This helps me learn more about each of you as individuals, to learn more about what have been significant events in your life that may have shaped your expectations and behavior in the marriage, and to better understand each person’s level of commitment to the relationship. After meeting with each spouse, I will see you together to discuss what the problem areas in the marriage seem to be, what the strengths are, and what are reasonable goals in your particular situation.
Examples of typical goals in marital therapy may include: learning how to handle conflict better, finding ways to feel more emotionally connected and develop more intimacy, learning how to effectively make decisions as a team, learning parenting or step-parenting strategies, and developing skills to better accommodate and prepare for different stages in marriage (birth of children, marriage with teenage children, “empty nest” , and retirement). I am also asked to provide pre-marital counseling for couples who want to be sure they are “getting off on the right foot”.
Blending my experience as a psychologist/family therapist/mediator, I am also in a unique position to be able to effectively work with individuals and/or couples who have decided to end their marriages but wish to do so in an amicable way and want help transitioning themselves and their children. Depending on the situation, this work may involve family sessions, sessions with each parent, and sessions with the children individually to be sure that each person’s needs are taken into account.
I am not a provider for any insurance plan and do not file insurance for clients. Payment to me is due at the time of the visit. I am happy to assist you by providing you with the necessary paperwork for you to file with your insurance company (it’s not hard!) and/or provide computerized statements to be used for tax purposes or for Health Savings Accounts.