My greatest strength as a counselor is my ability to quickly get to the root of a problem. The questions I ask are designed to direct your attention to places in your psyche you may not yet have visited, giving us both a clear view of what was previously in the shadows. Once we've identified exactly what's going on, we can begin the work of healing the emotional wounds that usually accompany depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, complicated grief and so many other painful states.

Here are some of the concerns that bring people into my office, and how I work with them:

Anxiety

Extensive research tells us that anxiety is a highly treatable condition. Your body and mind can be trained to stop the cycle of anxiety by the use of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). I use CBT techniques as needed in working with folks with anxiety, and I also offer a CBT group specifically for social anxiety. However, in working with anxious individuals, I am much more interested in healing anxiety at its roots than in helping you manage anxiety for the rest of your life. There are usually reasons for anxiety and nervousness that can be understood and worked through, even while using valuable CBT techniques to manage the symptoms.

Career Issues

Please see the Career Counseling page.

Sadness/Loneliness/Grief

You wouldn't know it from watching television, but it is perfectly normal to feel low sometimes. In fact, feeling sad or lonely is a healthy response to a loss of connection to yourself and/or others. And grief – in all its forms, including just feeling numb – is a natural response to an irretrievable loss. Too often,we don't have the support we need to move into and through these inevitable passages; we feel freakish in our pain, or worse, a burden on others. I'm privileged to provide you with the support we all deserve when we experience loss or disconnection in our lives.

Feeling stuck

Samuel Johnson said, “The business of life is to move forward.” When you feel paralyzed, unable to get on with the business of life, counseling can help. I think of this sort of mental/emotional paralysis as a natural way station. Something inside you is saying, “Wait! I'm not ready!” That voice may be drowned out temporarily by things you do to try to force yourself to get going, but it will not go away completely, nor give up its hold on you, until you fully hear and understand the important message you have for yourself. It's a paradox: In order to move forward, you must, for a time, stop moving altogether and be still. Therapy can help you do that in a purposeful way, so you can free yourself to get going again.

Curious about counseling

Many people move along their life path feeling generally successful and content... Then along comes a landmark birthday - you find yourself turning 30, or 40, or 50 , etc. – and suddenly there are questions. Who am I at this point in my life? Who do I want to be? Where have I been, and where am I going? Psychotherapy can help clarify personal values, illuminate underlying patterns & themes, and pave the way for the next phase of your journey. Just about anyone can benefit from the perspective of a trained counselor or therapist. My questions will open doors within you that may have had “No entry” signs on them for years. Behind them, there are often unexpected treasures.

Identity problems

Feeling empty inside, not knowing who you are, is one of the most painful states we humans can experience. It doesn't matter how much wealth you have, or how high-powered you are at work, or how many people admire you. No one is immune to a crisis of identity. Therapy and counseling are uniquely suited to helping you get to know the real you. In counseling people with feelings of emptiness or identity confusion, I focus on using our relationship to help you experience your real self in connection to another. You can get tools and homework from self-help books, but only another human being can be the mirror that shows you your true self.

Psychotherapy is not for the faint of heart. The gold is sometimes buried under what feels a lot like muck. But the rewards of a good working relationship with a dedicated counselor can be exhilarating.