My Practice
Generally I work with problems caused by disruptions between people’s inner or outer worlds and their sense of identity—disruptions that may result in loneliness, low self-esteem, guilt, curtailed energy, underutilized talent, lost hope or direction. Such problems may originate from painful childhood experiences: the loss or emotional disturbance of loved ones, poverty, with its inherent traumas (also, paradoxically, extreme wealth), socio-cultural upheavals, faulty social learning, and unusual personal qualities, such as exceptional intelligence, which can set children apart from their peers. Adulthood factors typically also contribute: transitions, both for good and ill (all change being emotionally stressful), physical illness, love encounters, a poor fit with one’s career, ethical or moral crises, and maladaptive coping styles.
I also provide consultation to fellow clinicians, and am available to offer workshops and lectures in my areas of specialization.
Format
I see adults, individually—under most circumstances for a minimum of one fifty-minute session per week, and often more frequently. Depending on the nature of a person’s initial problems and goals, results may be achieved at a rate comparable to brief psychotherapy, but speed is not the primary objective. The psyche takes its own time. New habits, such as sobriety, require practice. People may be unable to solve personal mysteries and resolve ambiguities quickly. Hard choices tend to involve an element of loss on both sides of the equation, and loss of any kind is hard to accept. Grief follows its own timetable. One discovery can stimulate a desire for others. COVID necessitated, I work via an HIPAA-compliant platform, and currently I offer both in-person and remote options, with the latter likely to remain possible post pandemic.
Beginning
The initial consultation provides an opportunity to explore the fit between a potential client’s needs and the therapist’s skill set, as well as the temperamental match. If I decide my skill set doesnt fit your circumstances, there will be no charge and I will be happy to try to refer you elsewhere. Once we have decided to work together, sessions usually involve the exploration of one or more areas: earlier life experiences, current situations, interpersonal communications between the client and myself, and symbolic material originating from the unconscious, most often dreams.
Fees
In the event of financial hardship I have a sliding scale. I don’t participate in managed care panels, nor do I bill insurance companies myself, but many of my clients receive at least partial reimbursement for out of network providers after they submit their monthly statements.
