Collaborative Treatment

We will weave your self-expertise with my professional expertise to discover and confront inhibiting beliefs. We will work to understand your feelings, emotions, reactions and behavioral patterns that cause difficulties while acknowledging and building on your strengths. I welcome feedback and will apologize for mistakes, working diligently to gain and maintain your trust. At core, the foundation for our therapeutic relationship is safety and trust. Most clients are surprised at how often we find things to laugh about while addressing painful issues. I draw on best practices, tools and other resources for tailoring our course and managing symptoms while we address the underlying causes. Often this includes tailored mindfulness practices. When it makes sense for other helping professionals to be involved, I am happy to work with them to form the strongest care team possible. I can make referrals to psychiatrists and others, as needed.

A Bit About Theory

It can be confusing to figure out what is the "best" theoretical orientation for your needs. Although there are many different approaches, probably the most well known categories are Psychodynamic and Cognitive Behavioral Theory (CBT). There are also so-called post-modern theories, such as Narrative; and still others such as Internal Family Systems (IFS). Each has its own flavor and sometimes vocabulary. As divergent as they may seem, I see much overlap.

My belief is that there are two main roads to travel: one addresses the current symptoms; the other can be more opaque and circuitous and works to unearth the causes. Both are important. It may be critical to reduce discomfort now; and to keep it from returning, to address the roots of discomfort.

Control Mastery Theory, is a health-oriented, client-centered, tailored psychodynamic and cognitive theory I discovered early in my training. I was drawn to its humane characteristics and its emphasis on outcome research to validate its utility to clients. It is a very organizing theoretical framework which is inclusive and allows for anything (credible!) that is helpful to a given client to be welcomed into the treatment.

Often, I am thinking about attachment patterns in relationships - how these may be sequelae from the "attachment style" a person internalizes from his/her relationship with his/her primary care giver and then later applies to other relationships. This is also central to Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for couples work.

I find more and more, I use Internal Family Systems (IFS). It is rooted in the concept that we all have a core-Self that has lost some of its leadership potential within our “internal family system”. We develop parts of ourselves to protect vulnerabilities and emotional injuries. One of the appeals of IFS is that I can teach the client how to carry on the work themselves so that they are more “self-led”.

I may interweave aspects of CBT or Narrative therapy, introduce mindfulness, employ EMDR and use other modalities.

Theory is only as good as it is helpful. I continue to learn more about currently validated psychotherapy practices, and neuro-psychological advances. I am open and curious and love to learn from my clients and colleagues new ways to help those with whom I work. Across all theory, one of my most important contributions as therapist is to hold patience and hope for my clients who may be struggling to hold them on their own.