Individual Treatment
People come to psychotherapy because they are feeling a certain amount of emotional and/or physical pain. How each person comes to experience their suffering differs. Sometimes the pain is great and longstanding. Other times, the person is adjusting to current stressors or adverse events.
My belief is that an individual engages in patterns of behavior, sometimes conscious, other times unconscious, that creates suffering.
My task is to help uncover and understand the patterns of thoughts, feelings, and behaviors that led to the formation of problems and pain. Or, if the person is having problems adjusting, the goal is to figure out better coping strategies given the recent stressors.
Treatment usually consists of weekly sessions. I sometimes assign homework to expedite or enhance the recovery process. I want to meet each person's unique needs, so I have worked with some individuals twice per week. Alternatively, I work with others every other week or monthly, depending on circumstances and progress in treatment.
Some individuals need short-term therapy, working only several sessions to achieve their goals. With others, I have met with them for several years.
I encourage a holistic approach to treatment and well being. I frequently recommend exercise, proper nutritional habits, regular sleep/wake cycle, community involvement, and consultation with other professionals, such as physicians, nutritionists, and physical therapists.
Marital and Family Therapy
When I work with couples and families, my focus is on the patterns of interactions between and among family members that create obstacles and/or difficult emotional situations. I take a broader, more systemic view of the couple or family, usually discussing how the patterns learned in their own family of origin play out in the current family situation.
Many times, people who come to therapy are either repeating patterns from their family of origin or consciously trying not to repeat patterns in the family of origin. In either case, the dynamics of the relationship are skewed and conflict emerges.
In marital and family sessions, several frequent goals are:
- Improved communication and cooperation
- Each partner needs to own their part in the marital dynamic
- Demonstrate respect and empathy for your partner
- Willingness to resolve conflict and discontinue negative patterns of behavior.
In marital therapy, my hope is that you married your best friend and we are trying to repair one of the most important relationships in your life.
In family therapy, the goal is usually to raise your child to become a successful adult, who can separate and individuate from the family in a healthy manner.