Pamela Goffman, Psychotherapist in Delray Beach, 33444

Pamela Goffman, LCSW, CP, PAT

Profession(s):
Psychotherapy, Counseling, Marriage & Family Therapy
License Status:
I'm a licensed professional.
Primary License:
Social Work

My Approach to Helping

Helping each client access their inner wisdom, creativity and autonomous healing center is my mission. We accomplish this by assessing your unique life circumstances to identify the blocks that are keeping you from from this, and we design a treatment plan from there. When these blocks include an organic issue that requires medication, I work with that as part of the treatment plan by consulting with your doctor when necessary. Using a variety of treatment modalities from psychodynamic therapy to cognitive/behavioral, to experiential therapy gives each client many doors to open to get to that autonomous healing center. In working with couples and families, focus is often on increasing awareness of feelings and communication. Experiential methods help move that process more swiftly and effectively. A seasoned psyhodramatist, I have an ongoing weekly psychodrama group; entrance is by invitation only.

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

It is hard to choose just one issue, because I would choose anxiety/depression, attachment/relationships and trauma and addiction. For the purpose of answering this question I will address anxiety. My clients have great success when they are in treatment with me, as I use a combination of mindfulness, CBT and experiential therapies. The CBT is helpful in assisting the client to challange their beliefs that cause anxiety (usually focusing concern on the past or future) and helping them look more rationally at their reality. Mindfulness provides actual skills practice of being in the here and now. The experiential work helps the client access their spontaneity and creativity which is lost in anxiety. This brings back an element of fun, play and the ability to look at a "plan B, C, D," etc. It is so rewarding to get reports of clients who are no longer crippled by their anxiety.

Theoretical Influences that Guide My Work

The first major theoretical influence that guides my practice is that of J. L. Moreno who developed Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy. He looked at the restoration of increased spontaneity and creativity as the cornerstone of mental health. One of my favorite pholosophies he gave us is that we have all roles available to us, just inadequate role training. Therefore my job as a psychotherapist is to help people gain more access to more roles, thus enabling them to become more of who they are. Role theory is complex, but each individual, ultimately, creates their own way of taking each new role. In terms of working with groups, Moreno gave us many rich and complex theories, like Sociometry; which is making the invisible connections in a group visible. This helps the healing process of a group by helping them to focus on the many similarities they share which, in turn,helps them tolorate their differences. Other theortical influnces that guide my practice are Object Relations, which looks at the psychodynamics of a person's life (i.e.early family attachment history) and Cognitive Behavioral and Dialectical Behavioral therapies. These later two help clients gain alternative ways of looking at their beliefs and resultant feelings. This ulimately enables them to not take things so personally but to be more responsible and compassionate and direct with their needs. Buddhist philospphy is an underlying principle throughout my practice.