Some of life’s dilemmas require a conversation to resolve: a conversation that weaves past and present, fantasy and reality, desire and inhibition to form a detailed understanding of one’s life. A therapeutic relationship is a life-enriching experience in and of itself. We’ll study not only your past but how you relate to the important aspects of your present day life. I’m interested in working with you to resolve your life’s dilemmas. My approach utilizes direct and honest communication. Call me to talk more.
Individual Therapy / Counseling
I view individual psychotherapy as a collaborative effort between us. This begins by discussing the reason you have come in search of help, and then exploring the events, circumstances, and history that have led to the appointment. Because our work is collaborative, I encourage continual feedback regarding the direction and progress of the therapeutic sessions, with particular emphasis on areas where you feel that progress is not occurring, as this is usually where the greatest potential for meaningful work lies.
marriage & couples
The crux of couples work is empowering the couple to become better friends and decrease the consequences resentment has on the relationship. I help couples speak in a more constructive manner with each other. My experience is that couples want to build something meaningful and important with each other that nourishes and sustains them both. However, one or both sides will often act in destructive ways for reasons that seem baffling and unknown to each partner. Working these issues through can be key to the relationship surviving.
Unmet expectations can also destroy a relationship. Often, we don't know what our expectations are until they have not been met. Also, we tend to enter intimate relationships with expectations that cannot be met by another person. I find it important to bring awareness to these underlying dynamics in order for the couple to have a more satisfying relationship with each other.
group psychotherapy
View my group schedule here. Perhaps the most therapeutic and cost-effective service available, group psychotherapy can provide an opportunity to cultivate a level of relational depth craved by most people while also being an interpersonal "laboratory."
Within the framework of putting our thoughts, feelings, and impulses into spoken language rather than behavior, group members discuss important aspects of their lives with each other. I work to create immediacy and connection within the group creating a culture of exploring how we approach and also distance ourselves from others.
Click here to learn what the American Group Psychotherapy Association has to say about Group Therapy.