My Approach to Helping

I am a clinical psychologist who works with young children, adolescents, and adults of all ages. My treatment philosophy and approach uses a truly integrative developmental perspective: genetic, biological, familial, cultural, and relationship patterns all influence human development. Mental health and well-being are consistent with optimum human development. Well being involves achievement of an essential balance between the real/external and the imagined/internal forces of influence on both the mind and the body. Furthermore, there is a human conditional need to make peace with one's own personal narrative (your story) and to have a trusted listener (therapist) to tell it to.

I have special interest in personality and identity development through life's transitions (for example: parenting, attachment and separation, coping with college, new baby, grief, crises of faith or self/identity, career, major life events, etc.). I work with people who present with symptoms of anxiety, depression, dissociative conditions, attention or learning problems, and those who have experienced traumatic stress or who have unusual mental symptoms.

I am particularly sensitive to multicultural concerns, matters of race and ethnic identity, and to the importance of knowing oneself in the context of relationships with others. I combine my scientific background in developmental psychopathology and neuroscience with my longstanding interests in psychoanalysis and culture. I have a background as a university professor with an extensive research career studying children and adolescent personality development.

My psychotherapy style is depth- and insight-oriented from a psychoanalytic tradition. Duration of treatments vary from shorter-term to open-ended depending upon the needs of the patient. In my therapeutic work, I combine matters of the spirit with matters of science: I have a passion for understanding people, a commitment to reducing suffering, and a regular sense of humor.

More Info About My Practice

I am an out-of-network provider for most health insurance programs and in-network for Blue Cross/Blue Shield PPO national and federal employee plans. Our office will help you to file your reimbursement claims for any national and some international health insurance plans.

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

I think I work best with people who are introspective, and perhaps leaders, creative, scientific, or unconventional in some way. Most of my psychotherapy patients have felt very responsible to other people but at some kind of odds within themselves.