Helping People Find Therapists & Advocating for Ethical and Healthy Therapy & Marriage Counseling Practices

My Approach to Helping

Therapy can help you to address a wide range of concerns and to live more authentically, making life more fulfilling, serene, and healthy. For me, it's an honor and privilege to help people work through their concerns, understand their fears, and cultivate their strengths.

I believe in the idea, which is also supported by a considerable amount of research, that the working relationship between you and I is essential to meaningful change. It's important that what we're doing makes sense to you and feels like a good fit. So, I take a collaborative approach to treatment, with you and I working together to help you make the changes that you want.

It also may help you to know that I am trained in a wide range of therapies. Some of my key theoretical influences include (in no particular order): interpersonal, dialectical-behavioral, cognitive-behavioral, existential, schema-focused and psychodynamic therapy. I believe that these approaches (and others) each have something to offer, depending on your needs and style. I use different types of therapy in different combinations so I can develop an approach that is personalized to you.

For individual clients, I can work with you to develop and strengthen skills to help you cope with difficult emotions such as depression, anxiety, anger, and grief. Once these skills are in place, it may be useful to explore where these problems started in order to develop a long-term solution. Another important focus may be your relationships with family members, friends, and others in your life. We can use therapy to understand and improve the way you connect with others, if this is one of your concerns.

For couples, I aim to help you reach a place where each partner can recognize the other's point of view (even if you don't necessarily agree with it). Partners often tend to polarize, or take more extreme views, around areas of disagreement, but helping couples to recognize this pattern allows both partners to work together to change it. Also, people tend to have 'hot buttons' that stem from life events outside of the relationship, and helping partners to understand each other's triggers can be a powerful way to improve the relationship.

 

More Info About My Practice

One thing you should know about me is that I use a system of determining whether the work we're doing is helping you to accomplish your goals. This system includes two very brief questionnaires (4 questions each), which allow us to keep track of your progress in therapy. I think it's essential to evaluate what we're doing, because if you invest your time, energy, and money into therapy, we should make sure that you're getting what you want from the process.

Also, a quick note about insurance: although I do not contract directly with any insurance companies, I'm happy to provide a statement of services that you can submit to your insurance in order to obtain out-of-network reimbursement. I can provide you with some guidance for determining whether your insurance company offers this type of reimbursement. Additionally, you can typically pay for therapy using your Flex Spending Account (FSA) or Health Savings Account (HSA) card.

 

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

Many of the people I see are struggling with depression, anxiety, or concerns about their interpersonal relationships. Based on my background and experience, I feel particularly comfortable helping people with these concerns. In addition, I have two specific areas of specialty. One is working with people who have any problems related to eating, weight, or body image. Concerns with food can include eating disorders, but can also involve problems such as overeating, binge-eating, restricted eating, or wanting to lose weight but having a history of unsuccessful attempts. Most of us have some type of emotional relationship with food, so understanding and addressing this relationship can allow you to overcome many difficulties related to eating. I also help people of all shapes and sizes to improve their body image. Another area of specialty is working with couples who are about to have or have recently had their first child. Having your first baby is an exciting and wonderful experience, but it can also be a stressful time for many partners, because relationships often change in unexpected ways with the arrival of a new baby. Therapy can provide valuable ideas and guidance to help partners navigate the transition to parenthood more smoothly.

 

Important Factors for Choosing a Therapist

I think the single most important factor in choosing a therapist is finding someone who is a good “fit” for you, both interpersonally and in terms of approach. Interpersonally, you want to find a therapist with whom you feel comfortable and safe. Some people want a therapist who will push and challenge them, and others prefer someone who will be more gentle, so the bottom line is finding someone with an interpersonal style that works for you. It’s essential that your therapist is someone you can trust. It’s also important that your therapist’s approach and style are a good fit. Basically, the way they conduct therapy should make sense to you. I would encourage you to interview several therapists over the phone before committing to work with anyone. During this conversation, you can ask potential therapists about the way they approach treatment. This will give you an opportunity to learn more about their theoretical background, but perhaps more importantly, it will let you observe how you feel when interacting with that person.

Services I Provide

• Individual Therapy & Counseling
• Marriage, Couples, or Relationship Counseling
• Family Therapy
• Group Therapy
• Clinical Supervision

Ages I Work With

• Children
• Teens
• Adults

Languages I Speak

• English

Therapy Approaches I Use

• Breathwork
• Client-Directed Outcome-Informed Therapy
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy /REBT
• Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
• Existential Psychotherapy
• Guided Therapeutic Imagery
• Humanistic Psychology
• Integration of different therapy models
• Interpersonal Psychotherapy
• Mindfulness Based Approaches
• Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy
• Motivational Enhancement Therapy
• Parent-Child Interaction Therapy
• Person Centered / Rogerian
• Positive Psychology
• Process Oriented Psychology
• Schema Therapy
• Trauma Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Concerns & Issues I Help With

• Identity Issues
• Attachment
• Trauma
• Abuse: Emotional, Physical, or Sexual
• Life Changes
• Emotion Management
• Social Skills & Problems
• Anxiety, Fear, & Stress
• Family Problems
• Childhood & Adolescence
• Health & Body
• Relationships & Marriage
• Depression & Mood
• Self-Esteem & Confidence
• Reproduction
• Self-Harm & Suicide
• Spirituality
• Occupational & Academic Issues