With years of experience in psychodynamic and cognitive behavioral therapy, I’m able to constructively work with emerging patterns in the here and now and help my adult and adolescent clients transform their lives in meaningful ways.

I flexibly combine a wide range of therapeutic techniques, including cognitive-behavioral and other solution-focused approaches within a warm and collaborative therapeutic space.

My approach is rooted in the rich tradition of psychodynamic therapy, which values deepening self-awareness and understanding. In the shared therapeutic space, the din of the outside world fades and you begin to hear yourself. As you recognize patterns, such as how your inner thoughts may have an urgent or critical tone, or how you’re quick to see things in a certain way, you can begin to make changes.

Sometimes, in order to understand present patterns, clients benefit from exploring the past. Many people are understandably afraid of a long, aimless walk back into childhood—and I am not a fan of pointless archeological digs either. By anchoring the exploratory process in a plan for growth, however, I find that understanding the past helps my clients tease apart old baggage from current reality, become connoisseurs of their internal experience, and be more in the present.

WORK WITH ADOLESCENTS

Adolescence is an opportunity. Learning how to express themselves constructively while considering the needs and feelings of others provides teens with a solid foundation for a lifetime of good relationships. 

I have specialized training in treating:

  • Anxiety, including social anxiety and being a “quiet” kid in a culture that values extroverts
  • Depression and low self-esteem
  • Sleep problems
  • School difficulties, underachievement and worry about college placement
  • Parental separation or divorce
  • Body image difficulties and eating disorders

 

Navigating the difficulties of peer relationships, affirming their identity, and learning how to negotiate their needs are “tasks” of adolescence that all teens struggle with to some degree. In the safety of the therapeutic setting, adolescents can make sense of what they’re experiencing, identify their emotions, and think strategically about how to get what they need.

Drawing from years of experience, the latest research, and cognitive-behavioral, insight-oriented, and mindfulness therapies, I provide an effective, strength-based approach to adolescent therapy. In the course of our sessions, teens develop the tools they need to use understanding—rather than impulsive behavior—to relieve internal distress. They also learn how to recognize and change problematic thought patterns and express their thoughts and feelings effectively.

Many teens benefit from finding new ways to harness their budding courage and use it in a productive way. Being oppositional can actually be a sign of early self-confidence, as a teen decides to stand behind what they feel. Ultimately, I help my young clients find a “middle gear,” a channel between being explosive and too passive. So they can speak and be heard.