People benefit from support and guidance to facilitate personal growth and navigate a wide range of life issues. I provide both short and long-term psychotherapy for individuals and couples. Regardless of the length of treatment, whether with individuals or with couples, our efforts will focus on making meaningful changes to improve your quality of life.

When choosing a psychotherapist, you need to work with someone whose style is a good fit for you. You probably have some preconceived notions about what a therapy session is like and how it works. Using pop cultural references, I would describe my approach as more like Dr. Phil’s than Dr. Freud’s. Traditional, analytically-oriented psychotherapy, like Dr. Freud, focuses on going deeper into the past, into the roots of your symptoms and into your psyche. My experience with this style is that while patients might achieve some insights about themselves, they don’t feel better from insight alone.

My approach is solution-oriented psychotherapy. I firmly believe that while the pain may be rooted in your past, healing takes place in the present. We might examine the past to gain an understanding of your current issues, but primarily we focus on the here and now. Rather than delving deeper into the problem, we examine the limiting beliefs that keep you stuck. We look for strengths, resources and alternative solutions. Most clients also get a sense of my style by reading the articles on my website and newsletter.

The kind of therapy I do is also non-pathologizing therapy. This means that I don’t view my clients as being deficient or sick in some way. I don’t diagnose clients (unless insurance requires it). In fact, one of my specialties is treating clients suffering from mood disorders like depression, postpartum depression, anxiety and bipolar disorder who may not want to take medication.

On the Fence About Going to Therapy?

I expect clients to be on the fence about therapy, especially if they have no prior experience (or sometimes because they have had a previously poor experience).

It takes courage to walk into a stranger’s office and just start talking about personal thoughts and feelings.

I try to make clients more comfortable about coming in for their first session by offering to talk on the phone or via email before their first session. I always tell my clients that they do not have to “sign up” for therapy beyond the first session. They can come in, try it on and see if it is a fit for them.

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For more information, please contact me at 908.372.0263 or send me an email.