Psychotherapeutic services
Current research about psychotherapy tells us that more than any other component of treatment it is the relationship between the patient and therapist that has the greatest impact on treatment outcomes. This finding teaches me two things: first, that a good fit between patient and therapist should be a priority for both parties at the outset of treatment; and second, that relationships have immense potential to support adaptive change in a person’s life.
I see this research reflected in my practice time and time again: the relative safety, trust, and understanding provided in a psychotherapeutic relationship can create an environment that fosters new possibilities. The open ground for discussion, curiosity, and examination in psychotherapy allows the space for something new to occur within each of us. I believe that long-lasting transformation occurs within us, a transformation that becomes possible through the supportive environment of psychotherapy.
My primary aim in psychotherapy is to better understand how you have become who you are. This entails understanding the multiple influences that have shaped your life including experiences within your family of origin, your sociocultural location, and significant life events. I take an active interest in your dreams, your wishes, your conflicts and regrets. I may call attention to things you know about yourself but haven’t fully recognized. I might observe how various aspects of your life become “alive” during the therapeutic hour. This process of uncovering and discovering tends to enhance insight and can help us shift repetitive patterns of operating that no longer serve us. It is my hope to accompany each individual patient along at least part of that process. Contact me to schedule a brief consultation to discuss your interest in psychotherapy.
We often use the word “patient” in the world of medicine and psychotherapy. It is a term defined as “one who endures.” Inherent in this definition is the notion of resilience and strength– qualities I believe are important never to lose sight of.
An artist came to see me…
… He had spent ten years of his life working on what he thought would be his most important work. In the end, the work was simple but satisfactory. It was not the masterpiece he originally dreamed of. Despite these feelings, he was not disappointed – the simplicity and imperfections of the work, to his thinking, were important dimensions of the piece. He was glad it was done. Still, something in him felt disturbed. He was experiencing feelings that seemed incongruous to him: depression and anxiety.
After working so hard all these years, should he not feel accomplished, happy, and confident now that his work was completed? He had a fine collection of brushes and oils, and good-enough skill with them. But he felt doubt and worry. We met and spoke together for some time. Rather than trying to reduce or get rid of his symptoms, we worked to understand what his symptoms were telling him. We discovered that, despite feeling enriched by his work there was also a loneliness to it. That his art could only be a partial companion to him. That in focusing for ten years on this piece, other important parts of his life were neglected and left untended. At times, this loneliness even showed up between us, as he imagined I didn’t care about him, wasn’t listening, wasn’t understanding.
Our job was to understand all these dimensions of his experience as expressions coming from unconscious parts of himself which felt uncared for, ignored, forgotten. As he began to see these parts of himself, new feelings emerged like a breath of fresh air. He discovered within himself something akin to hope. He found the will to respond to his feelings. He left my office with a lighter heart, renewed energy for his work, and, perhaps most importantly, the valuable insight that he needed more than just canvases and brushes for confidantes and friends. I would like to think he came to know himself more fully – a certain kind of knowing which can only be achieved through the process of being known by another.
The vignette above is an amalgamation of thematic content from multiple therapies over time and does not, in fact, represent any individual patient I have worked with. It is provided as an example to illustrate how therapy may look from a psychoanalytic approach.