My Approach to Helping
Trying to find a therapist can feel daunting. Given this, I'd be happy to spend some time on the phone talking about your concerns and whether or not I would be the right therapist for you. I see therapy as a way of deepening the understanding of how one's own mind works. It's through this process of self-discovery one can overcome the internalized destructive beliefs that lead to anxiety, depression and other difficulties in living. My role in this process is to help develop a secure working relationship, ask questions and provide feedback that furthers our mutual understanding of your difficulties. If I can help you feel better and cast off old self defeating behaviors, we can together enjoy your success in therapy.
More Info About My Practice
I work with individuals and groups. Either approach to therapy is effective in treating difficulties in living. For some people, the combination of models leads to gains they might not otherwise achieve. As a trained group therapist, I've been leading groups for over thirty five years. Being a member of a group brings one's difficulties alive within the confines of the group. This opens the door for powerful corrective emotional experiences and healing amongst group members. Group members also help one another by offering feedback, suggestions and modeling of appropriate behaviors. If you are seeking help to develop your skillfulness in personal relationships, coping with stress or dealing with conflict, I'd be happy to talk with you about how being a member of a group could be of benefit to you.
If you are a professional and want training and or supervision for group psychotherapy, feel free to contact me. I offer consultation as well as training towards becoming a Certified Group Psychotherapist.
The following is a quote that captures the rewards of group therapy:
"The aim of group therapy is to learn how to trust, to disclose, to develop intimacy without fear and guilt, to express one's self courageously, and to respond honestly and freely to others. Together with the strength to accept one's feelings of intimacy goes the strength to express one's hostility or aggression and to master it." Martin Grotjahn
What Makes up a Problem?
Prospective clients oftentimes feel that their "problems" aren't important enough or warrant the time and effort to deal with them. Yet, all kinds of difficulties, large and small can interfere with one's quality of life. Given that, I'd like to tell you what I think a "problem" is and why you deserve to get the help you need. A problem is anything that interferes with a person's success in their work, satisfaction with themselves or in their relationships with others. Problems can be chronic as in long standing self doubt or shame that leads to lonliness or isolation or can be acute and episodic. We all have problems, it's part of being human. Likewise, all families have some dysfunction, but not all families are dysfunctionaI. For the most part, we live our lives managing the everyday tensions and navigating the challenges that living brings. However, there are times when stress builds up or one experiences crushing interpersonal disappointments. When this tension overwhelms a person's normal way of coping, symptoms such as depression or ineffective ways of managing occur. This is what usually brings people into treatment. We all deserve to experience satisfaction in our lives. When this breaks down, it's a good time to seek therapy.
