Diane Spear, Licensed Clinical Social Worker- Psychotherapy Privilege

What makes a good life? Plenty of money, you may say. Or good health. Professional success. A long-term relationship. Getting to your goal weight. Having a large apartment in your chosen neighborhood. Children. Newsflash: These can be components of a miserable life or a satisfying one! What do I mean by this? Youll find the joy in everyday life. A good life starts from the inside! We all know people who are in peak health and are unhappy. And you have probably heard of terminally ill people who are fully enjoying their remaining time. Same with money or lack of it. Same with professional success, long-term relationships, etc. There are people who seem to be doing very well on paper who are miserable, and people who are not doing well by external standards who are a pleasure to be around. What makes the difference is being able to deal with the people and situations in your life today, and to learn to be happy yourself, rather than looking for someone else to make you feel good about yourself or to make you happy. Walking around feeling insecure, depressed, anxious, lacking a sense of purpose, or feeling like you are a burden to your friends, this is not the life you dreamed of having as a child, and its not the life you want today. How do you go from here to a satisfying life? Good therapy makes all the difference in the world. Starting therapy is a sign of strength, and thats something to feel good about. I bring empathy, warmth, curiosity, and the courage to sit with you in your pain, and to help you find a way through. There may be tears, and there will also be some laughter along the way. This is life, after all. Ive been working with individuals and couples since 1995. My approach is to connect with you, get to know you, relate, and bring a deep understanding of human psychology to our work together, so you can define and create a satisfying life for yourself. Your idea of a satisfying life is unique to you, not a one-size-fits-all life reached by a one-size-fits-all therapy. You dont have to be perfect to have a good life. The people in your life dont have to be perfect, nor do your circumstances. Whew! What a relief! Life can be messy and unpredictable, and you can still look for and enjoy the bright spots, and be in love with your life. Id like to work with you, help you create that life, and help you deal with the things, past and present, that get in the way of your enjoyment. Maybe youre dealing with depression, anxiety, job stress, illness, difficulty in relationships, substance-use issues, a recent breakup, a move, family pressures, whatever this messy life sends your way. Whether youre a recent graduate adjusting to life beyond college, the parent of someone leaving the nest, or youre dealing with the death of a loved one, starting a career, or looking at retirement, whatever your challenges are, Im here to help you face them, learn to handle them in a way you can look back on and feel good about, and learn from the mistakes we all make along the way as humans.