Clients
I offer individual psychotherapy to adults ages 18 and older, and specialize in the treatment of major depression, generalized anxiety, and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Many adult clients face a combination of these conditions and describe their symptoms as first emerging (or worsening) during a stressful, sometimes traumatic life event.
I’ve had the privilege of treating people from remarkably diverse cultural, professional and family backgrounds, who bring qualities of authenticity and courage to our therapeutic work. Our lives as human beings unfold in a variety of contexts, such as where we grew up, our early relationships, and our experiences at school and in the world of work, to name a few. I make a conscious effort to consider these important facets of a person’s lived experience, so that I can better understand and support my clients.
Psychotherapy
Anxiety and depressive disorders have a very high lifetime prevalence in the United States–researchers estimate that almost one in three adults (31.1%) in the US have experienced an anxiety disorder at some point in their lives and more than one in five (21%) have dealt with major depression. I’ve learned over the years that symptoms of anxiety and depression often signal the failure of one’s efforts to maintain an appearance of perfection and to avoid encountering parts of oneself that may be covered in shame. Psychotherapy, as I see it, is a collaborative process of exploration whose purpose is twofold: to reduce symptoms that cause suffering and to put clients in touch with parts of themselves that may lie beyond their conscious awareness. The idea is that giving these lesser known parts a respectful hearing releases them from the grip of shame and makes all of one’s efforts to hide them unnecessary. In this way, a person can grow inside, able to feel comfortable in their own skin and secure in the belief that they can be themselves while also being in relationship with others.
My approach to therapy is informed by a variety of treatment orientations including psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral and mindfulness-based perspectives. I’ve included a reference list here of writings by eminent clinicians and authors whose contributions have guided and inspired my work.
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
Psychodynamic psychotherapy is a type of therapy that explores parts of oneself that may not be fully known or that may be disowned. There is an emphasis on uncovering patterns of relating to oneself and others, usually learned in childhood, originally motivated by a need for self-protection, but may presently be damaging and repeated in one’s adult relationships including in the therapy relationship. The goal of therapy is to create a safe and containing space where these aspects of oneself may be allowed to emerge and worked through.
To learn more about psychodynamic psychotherapy, please click here.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy
Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) helps people recognize spontaneously occurring thoughts that may influence their perception of life events. They may believe these thoughts to be true in a way that causes emotional distress, even though some of them may be distorted. CBT involves both client and therapist working together to examine these thoughts, check their usefulness to the client and try new and more helpful ways of responding to situations.
To learn more about cognitive behavior therapy, please click here.
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
Mindfulness connects us with our internal experiences as they occur moment by moment. It teaches us how to notice and observe our thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations without judgment and to awaken to their impermanence. Noticing the ever-changing nature of these experiences can make it easier to sit with and accept them in ourselves.
To learn more about mindfulness, please click here.
Assessment
I’m trained in the assessment of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and offer this service to adult clients seeking to clarify whether they might have ADHD. The assessment involves a 2-3 hour-long clinical interview, several questionnaires consisting of self-report and informant ratings, brief performance-based tests of attention and working memory, and a feedback session. In some cases where learning differences may be present, I’ll refer the client for further neuropsychological testing.
I’m in the early stages of training in Therapeutic Assessment (TA), a collaborative therapeutic approach that incorporates psychological testing to help clients understand themselves better and develop creative ways to solve their problems. I hope to be able to offer this service as I move through the certification process, so please check back for updates on this.