Frequently Asked Questions

My first goal when we meet is for you to feel heard and understood. I want you to know that I truly appreciate what you’re going through and feel your pain.

My therapy approach aligns well with the saying: “Give me a fish, and I will eat today. Teach me to fish, and I will eat for life.”

I am a true believer in accentuating your strengths. I want you to feel more confident and empowered to work through your challenges. I want you to believe in yourself so that you can reach your potential in all areas of your life.

I love it when people I work with say things like, “I can do this,” or “Nothing can stop me.” When this happens, I know (and more importantly, they know) they’ve turned a corner, and their authentic self is starting to emerge.

Of course, we’ll talk about your problems, but we’ll also work collaboratively to formulate an action plan for getting you where you want to go.

You can count on me to listen well, “get you,” and have lots of ideas about how to work through and around your issues and challenges. I will provide a safe, nonjudgmental space so that you can tell me things that no one else knows.

I will never judge you (other than favorably) and will be your biggest fan so you can start to live the life you were meant to live.

Also (and this may come as a surprise), I bet we’ll laugh fairly often in our work together.

I like to use solution-focused therapy techniques that work… for YOU. I don’t use a one-size-fits-all approach to therapy. We’ll sculpt action plans that work for YOU.

For example, I worked with a bright, kind, attractive, caring, super nice young woman convinced she would never get married or have any kids because she felt she was unlovable. Instead of focusing on combatting those self-defeating thoughts, she slowly but surely learned to apply all that compassion she had for everyone else to herself.

Many years ago, I had a clinical supervisor who valued what happened between therapy sessions as much as (or more than) what happened in the office. I do, too.

Therefore, we will come up with “homework assignments” to help you make the progress you want.

I will also encourage you to practice good self-care (e.g., seeing friends more, getting out in nature, getting enough sleep, eating well, being more compassionate with yourself and others, listening to music, reading a good book, learning something new, being there for those you care about, reducing TV time and phone time, etc.).

The short answer: I have over 25 years of experience working with clients, watching them awaken their spirit within to overcome extreme adversity.

It might lull you to sleep, but here’s an “alphabet soup” of treatments I’m skilled at delivering…

I use include Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) for anxiety and trauma; Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) for depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD); Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for anxiety and trauma; Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) therapy for OCD; Imago Relationship Therapy for couples; and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) for a range of issues.

Being a therapist can be stressful sometimes, but I enjoy helping people reach their true potential. Being a psychologist is not just a job; it’s a true calling.

Fortunately, the vast majority of people I see are making steady progress, so we spend a good bit of time in session celebrating their wins, which leads to more positive momentum.

I sometimes find it challenging when clients don’t consistently “work on their stuff.” When this happens, I remind myself that they are doing their best, and I provide them with more manageable goals to give them some traction.

Of course not! It is a well-known fact that all therapists are perfect. None of us has gone to therapy or struggled to figure ourselves out.

My nose is about as long as Pinocchio’s right now. As I’ll say many times, I have been in therapy before and found it very helpful.

I once worked with a woman who had been gang-raped, severely beaten, and left to die next to a dumpster in a dark alley. She lost virtually everything, including her will to live.

Over time, through sheer force of will and determination, she somehow bounced back. She taught me that with the right mindset and determination, we can overcome almost anything.

She remains one of my heroes to this day.

Truth be told, I can’t think of anyone whom I have had the privilege of working with in therapy, and I have been in full-time clinical practice for 25 years, whom I did not truly feel inspired by.

My mom, who passed away on May 16, 2023, one day after her 95th birthday, is my hero. She did a fantastic job raising eight children on a shoestring budget and helped raise an additional 19 grandchildren and great grandchildren. She had a kind heart but could also be tough as nails when needed, but most of all was an inspirational role model.

My father, who very nearly died in a house fire when he was just two years and then served in World War II, was a great Dad. He always looked on the bright side of things and helped homeless people decades before the term was ever used.

Anyone who has given their life, or devoted their life, to helping others or making the world a better place. Jackie Robinson and Fred Rogers come to mind though so many, many others.

How about you? I would love to hear who your heroes are.