Howard Farkas, Therapist in Chicago, 60601

Howard S. Farkas, Ph.D.

Profession(s):
Psychology
License Status:
I'm a licensed professional.
Primary License:
Clinical Psychologist - 071-004346

My Approach to Helping

My approach to therapy is a product of my personality and philosophy about change. By nature, I am active, involved, and engaged when I interact with people, so my style in therapy follows from that. Philosophically, I view change on a large scale as a product of small, individual choices that are made in a state of mindful awareness. Changes at this micro-level are the building blocks that add up to change on a global level. In my view, all behavioral and emotional responses are reactions to perceptions that may be seen in different ways by different people, or at different times by the same person. Therefore, a primary focus in therapy is on how people perceive and filter events. Helping people identify and challenge those cognitive filters is key to my therapeutic approach. My goal with every new patient is to establish a comfortable rapport in order to begin a collaborative effort toward finding a solution to their concerns that is realistically achievable, effective, and is tailored for the individual.

More Info About My Practice

I accept Blue Cross/Blue Shield and United Behavioral Health insurances. For out-of-network and self-pay clients, my fee is $165. Sliding scale adjustments to the fee are available on a case by case basis.

Specific Issue(s) I'm Skilled at Helping With

My primary expertise is helping people who struggle with emotional and binge eating behavior. During my internship, I received intensive training in the treatment of eating disorders. I later worked in a program that specialized in the treatment of obesity, and over the years I saw hundreds of patients who struggled with emotional eating and binge eating disorder. As a result of this experience, I developed an original approach that is based on my understanding of this behavior as well as other types of behavioral control problems, such as shopping, gambling, and alcohol abuse. This approach has been very effective and I have begun teaching it to other therapists who have also reported success in using it with patients who present with these problems.

Theoretical Influences that Guide My Work

My formal training was in the psychodynamic approach to therapy, which has evolved to include a cognitive-behavioral and solution-focused approach. I try to integrate these and other theoretical elements together in my work.