Overview
My approach to therapy is collaborative, supportive, and practical. I believe that each person is the expert on his or her own life. Thus, I look to my patients to teach me what matters most to them, what they want to get out of life, and what they feel is standing in their way. We each bring an expertise to the relationship: I bring knowledge of psychological theory and practice and the patient brings knowledge of his or her own life, goals, ambitions, fears, and history. Together we construct a unique treatment.
In clinical terms, my approach to therapy can be described as a mix of cognitive behavioral and psychodynamic approaches. The underlying premises that I work with are:
- Most people are living and acting from an emotional road-map that was laid down for them at a point or various points in the past.
- People come by their problems honestly, that is, if you look closely enough, you will find a good rationale for what they are or are not doing.
- The human psyche has a natural instinct and ability to find equilibrium; that is to say, change is entirely possible.
- The mind and body are interrelated.
I believe that therapy can help patients to gain awareness of the thoughts and feelings that are driving them, to evaluate whether or not some of their learned ways of coping are still effective, and to rewrite a new script for their current life.
Through this process, I help my patients to reduce the intensity of their emotional distress, to reduce the frequency and duration of their problematic behaviors, to increase their effectiveness in relationships and work, and to find enjoyment in their daily lives.
Planning
Together, we will construct a plan to meet your goals that takes into account your time, energy, finances, and other life factors. We may prioritize some goals over others, depending on your need and the intensity of your distress. We may include other people, such as life partners or family members, into parts of the treatment.
For many people who have relocated, we may want to continue a previous treatment plan established in a previous therapy. I frequently work directly with a former therapist to ensure the smoothest transition possible.
This plan will give us a map of where to focus our energies, how long the treatment will take, and a method to ensure that we are meeting your targeted goals.
Treatment
Although the actual treatment is unique to each individual, in general, once the goals and treatment plan have been established, we will spend our time in the following manner:
- Exploring and understanding the nature of your distress.
- Building insight into how these problems interfere with your life.
- Learning specific skills to help manage and lessen your distress.
- Developing ways to practice and implement these skills in your daily life.
- Creating a plan to maintain gains once the treatment is completed.
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