My specialty areas include: Relationships (romantic, familial, friend, work); Subspecialty in Pre-marital Counseling & Dating; Grief/loss; Addiction & Recovery; Codependence; Anxiety and Depression (concerns about mood).
My credentials are listed here. You can see what clients have said about me here.
Why Therapy? Generally, people seek therapy for one of two reasons:
1. Some people come to therapy to get help with, or relief from, a specific problem or symptom, or to learn how to cope with specific life stressors and difficult life events. In this case, therapy may be shorter term and more narrowly focused on ameliorating these symptoms or life stressors.
2. Others seek therapy to have the full attention of an unbiased professional who can help them achieve new insights. In this case, therapy is more of a “practice” (or process) of introspection– just as going to yoga, the gym, or church or temple might be considered a “practice” which enhances your overall well being, improving your quality of life.
In either case, by honestly exploring your thoughts and feelings with an objective listener, in a safe and confidential setting, you will gain increased self-awareness– a better understanding of your thoughts, feelings and behavior, and the symptoms or problems for which you seek help. This heightened awareness will inform the choices you make in life, allowing you to break self-destructive patterns, enjoy better health, increase effectiveness at work or school and experience more satisfying relationships with others.
What I’ve learned:
One of the most important things I’ve learned working in this profession is that we are all “perfectly imperfect.” I have found that so many people struggle to accept their inherent imperfections, their humanity, which fosters feelings of shame and a great deal of pain and suffering. I have worked, as a therapist and as a human being, to embrace my strengths as well as my imperfections and I believe this makes me a more effective therapist.