I enjoy helping my clients to explore their beliefs, thoughts, feelings and actions to see if they are compatible with the relationships and life outcomes that they desire. I'm an encouraging, active and directive therapist who is very respectful of each individual's right to decide for himself or herself about how they want their life and relationships to proceed. Aside from adult individuals, I also focus on: Children: I believe that children are inherently good and desire adult love and approval above and beyond almost anything else. I don't believe in "bad" children. However, some children attempt to get their needs met in ineffective ways. Through play, dialogue and interaction with significant others in a child's life (parents, siblings, teachers), I work with children to discover their underlying thoughts and feelings and the needs they are attempting to get met through their behavior. I work collaboratively with others in the child's life to build supports to help create an atmosphere that is safe for the child to try new behaviors. Parents/Families: I believe that parents love their children and are doing the best that they can to raise healthy, well-adjusted young people. Many parents blindly follow the example of their parents; others do the exact opposite. Most of us are somewhere in between. However, I believe that most parents are well-intentioned. My goal as a therapist is to help parents use the "acid test"..."Is it working?" Through dialogue with parents and children, I help families to develop new responses to problem behaviors while exploring the beliefs and feelings underlying ineffective response patterns. I encourage families to focus on what is positive in each member and to express appreciation for each others' strengths and contributions. Couples: All couples struggle from time-to-time and many of the difficulties that arise are do to miscommunications, misinterpretations and misunderstandings, which lead to ineffective responses or reactions and before you know it, couples are stuck in "wrong solution cycles" that create dysfunction and inharmonious relationships. I help couples to intimately dialogue about their feelings and to actively listen to one another. I also encourage each member of the couple to act in loving ways and to remember and appreciate the qualities in their partner that made them fall in love in the beginning.