My Approach to Psychotherapy

During my 30 years of practice and study of psychotherapy I have developed an approach based on science, scholarship, and collective clinical wisdom. It is aimed at producing fundamental, lasting change as rapidly as possible.  My goal is to help people change emotional and behavioral patterns in order to enhance their personal effectiveness, authenticity, hopefulness, and overall well-being.

I believe effective treatment must challenge self-limiting convictions that we have about ourselves and the world and develop emotional resilience that makes stressful experiences tolerable. In the context of a therapeutic relationship in which both client and I trust that we will give each other our best, we identify unique organizing principles that have shaped the client's expectations, often just beyond their awareness.  

Our explorations lead to understanding the influences of a client's lifetime of relationships and the client’s habitual responses to the world.  This always involves an appreciation for the client's efforts to grow despite adversity. As the client’s self-understanding deepens, they develop an acceptance for all aspects of who they have become, including their less desirable characteristics.  This expanded perspective produces a more robust and cohesive sense of self, making the possibilities for change feel more attainable.   This transformation allows a person to more readily identify authentic desires, values, and goals and to pursue them more vigorously.

My Expertise

I am a generalist who has always worked with many varieties of emotional distress.  I am expert at treating the whole person rather than mainly a set of specific symptoms. I approach problems with an awareness of ways various symptoms relate to the larger context of a person's emotional world.   

I have special expertise working with children, adolescents, couples, and families.  I welcome working with people who are different from me in various ways. I have extensive experience with bisexual, gay, and lesbian clients and some experience with trans clients.  I have successfully treated many clients of different racial groups and cultural origins.

I Can Help

Psychotherapy can expand your world by deepening your relationship to yourself and others, freeing you to live fully.  If you are interested in learning more about how I might help you, your child, or your family, I welcome hearing from you.