Philosophy of Care
Joining together for growth and change:
You will find our work together to be a joint venture in sorting out the challenges that brought you to see me. I am engaged, interactive and give specific feedback. I see psychotherapy as a collaborative, active process between two people. I focus intentionally on developing a warm and respectful working relationship with my clients. Because psychotherapy outcome research consistently points to the quality of the relationship between a psychotherapist and client as the most important factor facilitating change, that is the first order of business.
Integrated care:
I have been trained in a variety of treatment modalities, and my approach to psychotherapy pays heed to them all, integrating interventions to plan a treatment that works for you. Depending on your concerns and goals, I may blend dynamic, mindfulness-meditation, cognitive behavioral, interpersonal and attachment based interventions.
I am very likely to draw you pictures of neurons and tell you stories about parts of the brain from time to time. I will remind you that we all have the ability to change, and that every one of us can alter how our brains work by focusing with intention on how we think and feel. I will also call upon the tenets of positive psychology, as the research evidence from this exciting field is clear—there are simple things each of us can do on a daily basis to increase a sense of well-being and help us become more resilient.
Developing skills and self knowledge:
My work with most clients takes place on two interwoven levels. The level of knowledge, information and skills will assure you leave sessions with specific things to do as you manage challenges. I will also engage in deep listening and help you with focused self-reflection. The purpose of this is to assist you in forging a new understanding of your emotional world, and to help you learn about how, for each of us, the past informs the present. Our collaborative treatment relationship will allow me to walk alongside you in your journey toward a coherent self-narrative, and new approaches to life.