What you can accomplish in therapy.

• Reduce depression and increase contentment
• Lessen anxiety and improve confidence
• Improve relationships and intimacy
• Increase skills in communication, assertiveness and emotion management
• Overcome self-defeating behaviors
• Pursue goals and cherished values

What therapy is like with me

You can expect someone who shows he has a full and accepting understanding of your difficulties, who keenly and shows complete respect.

I will check regularly on how you feel about the therapy process and our working relationship.

Sessions are time-effective, frequent when needed and intermittent when feasible.

We will be oriented toward pragmatic solutions.

We work collaboratively toward your goals, not mine…but I’ll reserve the right to challenge and exert pressure at times.

There is almost always some humor and laughing, but not at the expense of entering tough territory or high intensity when we need to.

I strive to bring creativity to bear on problems, and to assist you in seeing them from a new and more constructive angle.

I like to “do” in the office rather than simply talk about things. For example, you may be asked to relate to me in a way that is new for you, or practice a new skill as I coach. Almost always, I will ask you to complete a relevant task between sessions.

The process should it be too difficult or painful, but neither should it be entirely easy or meant only to make you feel good fleetingly.

I may or may not suggest medication, and will work with the choice you prefer.  I will ask your permission to stay in close touch with your doctor.

Therapy should end with your having a resolution to the problems we have addressed, or as close to a resolution as we can manage.

You should leave with clear ideas on how to avert and manage recurrences.

What to expect during your first visit.

We are in a secure, private setting where anything can be discussed. A few minutes are devoted to nuts-and-bolts items such as confidentiality and consent. I will ask you to talk about your concerns and goals. We will talk about your expectations and any reservations you might have.  I will have quite a few questions initially, to get some of the starter information I will need. For instance, I will want know about your background and current circumstances, your strengths and the obstacles you face. I will ask about alcohol/drug use and will have you list the symptoms and problems you encounter. I will want to know about medications you are taking, questions you may have about psychoactive medications, and whether I should coordinate care with your physician.

We will formulate goals for therapy, so that we are in agreement on what the milestones will be as well as how to recognize when you are “there”. We should have a rough idea about how long the process will take so that you know what you are getting into.

The methods I might use in working with you include cognitive therapy, behavioral activation, systems relationship therapy, mindfulness training and problem-solving therapy…not to mention good old supportive counseling, among others. What does this mean? To simplify a lot for the sake of brevity here, it means that we may look into how you:

• Distort your take on things, and how you can improve rational thinking.

• Do more of what works and less of what doesn’t.

• See how your behaviors may be eliciting the behaviors in others you do not want

• Communicate.

• Stay aware of your emotions.

• Experience appropriate sadness without undue depression.

• Experience anxiety without spiraling into it or protecting yourself too much.

• Balance the need for connection and intimacy with autonomy and privacy.

• Come to peaceful terms with those things you cannot change.

• Decrease fruitless ruminating and turn you attention what is more meaningful.

• Improve your effectiveness in solving problems.

My background

I come from a multicultural upbringing and had something of a vagabond early adulthood. I have a BA in Psychology from Antioch College in Ohio (1983) and a Masters in Social Work from the U.W. (1987). I studied chemical dependency and family systems therapy at that time. Since then I have continued to enroll in much more continuing education than required for my licensure. I have worked with Group Health Cooperative since 1990, part-time. I am married, I enjoy raising our two children and I have a weakness for good coffee.