Psychotherapy

Our therapists are skilled and experienced professionals who offer counseling and psychotherapy services to adults, children, and adolescents. They have received training in diverse therapeutic approaches. Some of these methods may include:

• Cognitive Therapy and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
• Behavior Therapy
• Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
• Solution-Focused Therapy
• Strategic Therapy
• Clinical Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy
• EMDR Therapy
• Energy Psychology methods such as the Emotional Freedom Techniques (EFT)

Our philosophy prioritizes flexibility and adaptability, refraining from adhering to any singular technique, theory, or method. Our therapists are compassionate, patient-centered, and employ a multimodal, integrative approach. This entails tailoring our methods to suit each patient’s individual needs, avoiding standardized approaches or attempting to force patients into a specific method. We recognize the uniqueness of each individual and draw from our diverse training to utilize a wide range of techniques and approaches.

No one approach works with everyone. In developing a treatment plan for a patient, we integrate the therapeutic techniques that are indicated.

A therapist’s proficiency in therapeutic techniques is essential for effective therapy. However, technical skills alone do not encompass the entirety of psychotherapy. While techniques play a significant role, therapy goes beyond their application. If therapy relied solely on techniques, individuals could improve simply by reading self-help books or psychotherapy textbooks. However, the existence of countless self-help books on the market underscores that this approach is insufficient.

A good therapist is both compassionate and technically proficient.

Individual therapy entails a human interaction between the patient seeking professional assistance and the therapist. The patient’s perception of the therapist’s compassion is fundamental to the therapeutic process. Therefore, compassion is an indispensable element in all forms of psychotherapy. It is imperative for the therapist to possess and exhibit compassion throughout the therapeutic relationship.

In life, events typically occur for reasons, and human behavior is intricate. Often, there are numerous factors contributing to why individuals feel and act as they do. The innate human desire to understand the “why” may lead one to seek compelling explanations from the past. However, without the ability to travel back in time, it is impossible to definitively ascertain which past events have influenced present emotions and behaviors. It’s important to recognize that multiple determinants are at play in shaping one’s experiences and actions.

In our quest to understand the “why” behind our experiences, we often generate explanations that align with our perceptions. If these explanations feel plausible, we adopt them as our truth. However, the challenge arises when these self-generated reasons fail to facilitate positive change or improvement. Effective therapy involves constructing explanations that not only resonate with us but also empower us to enact meaningful changes, leading to improved well-being and functionality.

As individuals, we share commonalities yet possess unique differences. Fundamental to our human experience are needs for acceptance, recognition, and safety, each defined according to personal context. Moreover, we are guided by core values that shape our actions.

Effective individual therapy aims to assist you, the client, in understanding your unique needs and acquiring the necessary skills to fulfill them. It endeavors to support you in identifying practical and constructive means of attaining acceptance and recognition. Additionally, therapy seeks to assist you in establishing a sense of genuine security tailored to your circumstances. Lastly, it aims to help you recognize your core values and commit to behaviors aligned with them.

We offer specialized psychotherapy services tailored to address a range of concerns, including generalized anxiety, social anxiety, phobias, depression, chronic pain, bipolar disorder, self-defeating behaviors, attention deficit disorder, addictions, sexual dysfunction, sexual orientation, trauma and PTSD, grief, loss, job and career transitions, life changes, and parent-child issues.

Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) is a widely utilized and practical contemporary method in counseling and psychotherapy, focusing on modifying self-defeating patterns of thought and behavior. It operates on the premise that underlying every emotion lies a corresponding thought, suggesting that altering these thoughts can lead to changes in emotional responses.

CBT typically follows a structured and time-limited format, fostering a collaborative partnership between the therapist and the client. Unlike more traditional psychoanalytic approaches, where the therapist primarily listens and observes, CBT therapists take on a more active role, providing guidance and instruction as needed. Acting as educators, CBT therapists teach clients new coping strategies, emphasizing the development of practical skills. This approach is considered psycho-educational, requiring active participation from the client, including homework assignments and record-keeping to enhance effectiveness.

Many of our daily actions are influenced by the subconscious or unconscious mind, making clinical hypnosis a valuable therapeutic tool. Clinical hypnosis serves as a means to access the subconscious mind, providing a focal point for therapeutic intervention. However, it is essential to recognize that hypnosis alone is not a comprehensive therapy. Our therapists utilize a combination of cognitive, emotionally focused, and behavioral techniques to target and address the self-defeating thought patterns and emotional responses that require modification for successful treatment outcomes.

Not all individuals require long-term therapy. Short-term or brief therapy is often recommended to address and resolve immediate concerns efficiently. Typically spanning from two sessions to a dozen, short-term or brief psychotherapy is tailored to understand and resolve pressing issues within a limited timeframe.

Effective therapy involves establishing a verbal and occasionally written contract or working agreement between the therapist and the patient. This agreement is typically established at the beginning of therapy and is periodically revisited and adjusted as needed during the course of treatment.

Patients often come into therapy with deeply ingrained core beliefs that they express in absolute terms, often using words like “always.” These beliefs can lead to negative behavior patterns and feelings of being trapped. Our therapists work to gently challenge these beliefs, guiding patients towards the possibility of change. It’s our responsibility to help patients modify beliefs that are no longer beneficial and contribute to feelings of helplessness.

In the initial stages of therapy, our focus will be on comprehensively understanding your concerns and symptoms, and developing a conceptual framework to guide our approach. We prioritize fully informed consent, ensuring that you understand the rationale behind our proposed interventions. Your therapist aims to facilitate positive change efficiently, with the goal of minimizing time and financial investment while maximizing your well-being.

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, we offer both in-person therapy sessions at our office and online sessions for the safety and convenience of our clients. With just a computer or iPad, you can access therapy from any location, whether it’s the comfort of your home or office.