People usually decide to talk to a therapist when the pain of what they are trying to cope with becomes too big to handle on their own. When talking to friends or family doesn’t seem to help or change how you’re feeling, it may be time to take your issues more seriously and try working with a trained professional.

I work with both adults and adolescents, couples, families and individuals who are motivated and ready to make change in their lives. Anxiety and depression, grief/loss, relationship issues, life transitions and emotional trauma are areas of special competence and I maintain a diversity-welcoming practice open to anybody willing to get down to business and work on themselves.

To start, I typically do a check-in about what’s been going on since we last met and you’ll share and update me (usually focusing on what we’d agreed would be the main issue we’d work on unless you have a more pressing issue or crisis that's come up.) Then, we’ll review any homework, readings or exercises assigned and discuss them. I’ll listen & take notes and offer feedback. You won’t be criticized, interrupted or judged as you speak and our conversation will be kept in the strictest of confidences. This is a special, unique type of conversation in which you can say exactly what you feel—total honesty—without worrying that you’re going to hurt my feelings, damage our relationship, or be penalized in any way. Anything you want—or need—to say is OK. After reviewing homework, we’ll continue on the path we’ve charted by working towards objectives, learning new skills, processing feelings, maybe trying an art therapy, yoga or music intervention and assigning/agreeing on new homework etc. Issues rarely occur in a vacuum, so our work will always cross into other topics and that’s ok but it’s my job to keep us on track towards the goals we’ve set. At the end of sessions, I like to do another little check-in to get your feedback about how the session went (i.e. what I or we can do different next time), set our next appointment and we’ll say goodbye. I like to have a clear outline for sessions like this so that my clients know what to expect….and don’t have to worry about “having enough to talk about” each session!

No, I’m not licensed to prescribe meds, but I’m happy to work with your primary care physican if we suspect that might be the right choice for you. Many people discover they can feel much better with psychotherapy and behavior change without having to go the medication route, but I’m open to learning what’s right for you.