My Approach to Helping

I believe in helping people become more themselves, deepening into their life experience. I prefer to work within the values of the person seeking help and to support and challenge them to transform their life.

More Info About My Practice

Many insurance plans cover out of network providers. In some instances, a sliding fee scale may be available. Please contact me for more information.

How Psychotherapy Can Help

I think for many it's a safe, supportive, and relatively objective atmosphere in which you can voice your hopes, fears, and concerns and have them met with supportive acceptance and helpful feedback.

My View on the Purpose of Psychotherapy

Ultimately I think psychotherapy is about accepting yourself as you are, as you wish to be, and as you wish you weren't and then the journey of continually reconciling these dimensions.

What I Love about Being a Psychotherapist

I love helping people. I love listening and being able to engage in deep conversation about meaningful issues. I love that I get to watch people transform their lives every day. My passion comes from the fulfillment I get from being a part of that process and from feeling I am in a deeply humanistic profession.

My Role as a Therapist

I see my role as being the believer, the one who holds onto hope that things change when you're unsure.

My Therapy Focus

I believe the focus of my work is on understanding the self. This often branches into other areas.

My Guiding Ethical Principles

In addition to adhering to the standard ethics of my profession and the Commonwealth's regulations for counseling, I have very high personal standards for ethical conduct. I work to stay within the value framework of each client and strive to empower them to realize their own vision of success. I do not undertake cases I feel I am not sufficiently suited to work with and do my best to help locate a therapist who can meet the need. I have clear interpersonal boundaries, which I communicate to clients verbally and in writing. It is my sincere effort and hope that each action I take is of benefit to my client.

On the Fence About Going to Therapy?

Everyone is different. Some people have tried therapy before, but it may not have been a very good match. Others have been in therapy, but it was very long ago. For people who are scared or skeptical of therapy and have never tried it, I would suggest talking with a few different therapists and perhaps some friends or family members who have tried it. Ultimately, it's a very personal decision, and you have to do what's right for you.

Had a Negative Therapy Experience?

I would suggest that you be very direct and honest about your negative experience and, if possible, be specific about what you did not like. It's been my experience that there are as many different kinds of therapist as there are people and most will make an effort to provide the service you are seeking if you ask.

Important Factors for Choosing a Therapist

I think it's important to feel like you can trust your therapist and relax a bit. Most people are at least somewhat distressed when they seek therapy, so there's no need to add to that difficulty by feeling like you have to tiptoe.

How My Own Struggles Made Me a Better Therapist

I think personal work is an essential component to becoming a better therapist. You know yourself better, so you can use more of yourself in your work. You also know what it's like to be on the other side of the therapeutic relationship.

Theoretical Influences that Guide My Work

I am most influenced by existentialist thinkers like Irvin Yalom and Rollo May. Other thinkers from various schools of thought that have influenced me are Carl Rogers, Carl Jung, John Gottman, Paul Ekman, and the Dalai Lama.

My View on the Nature of 'Disorders'

Emerging neuroscience seems to be pointing toward a biological basis for much of what we think of as mental disorders; however, I think a person's view of their self is paramount to how they function in the world. Many mental health concerns are not about mental disorders but about living in an increasingly complex world, feeling uncertain about oneself in relationship, and trying to maximize the time and potential we have.

The Duration and Frequency of Therapy

The client ultimately decides when the course of therapy is complete, though I offer my thoughts about it when asked or when I notice a significant shift. As for the frequency, that depends very much on the person, the nature of their issue, and their preferences. I believe a person can make fairly significant change in a few months; however, I also believe effort and willingness to be open to your experience plays a substantial role in how long change can take.