My Approach to Helping
I have over 25 years of postgraduate experience and an ongoing passion and engagement in the art of psychotherapy. When the fit is right, a good therapeutic relationship can provide a powerful vehicle for healing and transformation. I think for therapy to really gel, you need to feel that your therapist gets you, perhaps in a way few others have.
People I work with often tell me they have that experience with me, that they feel fully seen and understood. They also feel that I like and enjoy them. I have had the privilege of helping many people move through significant personal challenges, discover and develop their strengths, and transform their experience of themselves in the world. I am continually awed by the courage and resilience of the people I work with.
My style is generally interactive, and you will feel there is a person in the room with you. I will challenge you when I think it's appropriate, but it will always be from a caring and respectful place. While I use a psychoanalytic lens and find cognitive-behavioral techniques helpful in some instances, I don't believe in a cookie-cutter approach. I very much work with each individual to facilitate their personal journey in a way that works for them. For me, the therapeutic relationship is very much a collaborative endeavor.
While my educational credentials are important (Masters and Doctoral degrees, certificate in Psychoanalysis), equally so are more personal qualities of mine like integrity, curiosity, empathy, and humor. I am committed to creating a safe space where all feelings, thoughts, desires, and fears can be explored together.
I have worked for many years with a diverse group of people who bring a range of triumphs and challenges: intimacy and trust in relationships, life transitions, trauma and loss, compulsive behaviors, parenting and adoption, aging parents, depression and anxiety, professional road blocks, and creative impasses. I work competently and comfortably with all sexual orientations and family constellations and have worked extensively with couples.