My Approach to Helping
My philosophy as both a psychotherapist and life coach has always been one of beginning wherever my clients are, and empowering them to take the lead in our work towards their healing and growth. The therapeutic process should be unique for each individual or couple rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. Therefore I use an eclectic mix of strategies and tools drawn from a number of different therapeutic schools and treatment modalities. I also believe that in order for real change to happen, the whole person/couple and their surrounding environment need to be explored and considered when addressing issues and problems and setting goals for treatment. This includes social support system, work and career, physical health/wellness, and family and other intimate relationships. For if even one of these is overlooked or ignored, it can keep the client stuck in a cycle of frustration and failure.
More Info About My Practice
I make every attempt to be flexible, but cannot do evening or weekend hours, except by email or Skype. I do take some insurance, you can email me to find out if I am covered under your plan. I am happy to answer any questions and/or provide more information about my background, experience and expertise. You can also check out my website where this information is located along with many of my articles, columns, and media page that lists a selection of my many quotes in major magazines and newspapers, and clips from several radio shows where I have been a featured guest.
My Role as a Therapist
My role as a therapist is to act as a collaborator, to offer structure and guidance, to provide feedback that helps challenge and move the process, to hold up a mirror to help you see yourself more clearly and accurately, and to be your cheerleader; encouraging you to keep going and holding you accountable for doing what you say you will do in order to get what you want. My style is active and engaged, I recommend resources, point out areas of concern, and I strive to challenge and empower my clients in order to keep them actively engaged and to help build and enhance their self-esteem and self-reliance.
The Duration and Frequency of Therapy
I am often asked "how often should I come in for counseling sessions," and/or "how long will the process take?" My answer is "it depends." The factors that decide this have to do with your therapy goals, your present level of functioning, the severity of issues you want to address, and what your priority for therapy is VS all the other aspects of your life that require your focus and resources. All of these will help determine what and how much you will need to invest to be successful. Some issues are short-term and have not reached a level of severity that is having a great impact on your life--others will be longer term, more severe, and could be impacting your ability to function adequately. These are things we would discuss upfront in our first session together.
