My Approach
A typical session runs 45 minutes with some flexibility if we are right in the middle of an important discussion. If this is your first Psychotherapy experience, you may feel a little anxious about the process. Don't worry! This is normal and I do understand that you will feel this way. I will do my best to help you relax and get comfortable. I suggest that you think a bit in advance about what you want to share and feel free to bring something to write some notes. It is hard to recall all the things we may discuss after you return to your busy day after we meet. I want this to be constructive and beneficial to you. If you are struggling to decide what to talk about or feel blank when you sit down to plan, again don't worry, some of the best sessions come when we don't have a preset agenda. If we get to the last five minutes and have a whole new topic, I will jot some notes so we can start back up there and we will schedule our next meeting.
I view psychotherapy as a collaborative effort between you and I. During the initial consultation period, I will complete a clinical diagnostic assessment to determine the issues and an appropriate method for addressing them. When I have concluded this, we will discuss the course of treatment and set goals for our meetings. I utilize a number of different methodologies including, psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral, attachment theory and family systems theory to address issues. We will review and adjust methods and goals as treatment progresses. I may make recommendations for additional evaluations, if I think it will be helpful. We usually terminate when our goals have been reached or when I feel we have plateaued and no further progress can be made. You have the right to terminate therapy at any time. I do ask that you commit to meeting a final time for termination to process the experience and plan for next steps.