Areas of Practice

Assessment and Clinical Consultation

 

Effective treatment starts with a comprehensive assessment of both difficulties and strengths. The first few sessions are devoted to gathering information regarding the nature of current concerns and how they have evolved over time. Family history, one’s earlier development, educational and vocational history, and relationship experiences are some of the elements that allow me to generate a clinical formulation that helps us both understand what we are trying to address.  The formulation is a compass of sorts that will guide treatment.

Individual Psychotherapy

 

The bulk of my practice time is spent seeing individuals in psychotherapy. My current patient population ranges in age from early 20’s to 90. Anxiety, depression, relationship problems and vocational struggles are common problems for which people seek my help. I see these patients for 45minute sessions, typically weekly but sometimes more frequently. I utilize a contemporary psychoanalytic theoretical orientation. While sessions usually focus predominantly on here and now issues, those concerns often have roots extending back to unresolved issues of earlier development.

Psychoanalysis

 

More intensive therapy is sometimes necessary to deal with entrenched, persistent and recurring difficulties. Psychoanalysis typically involves at least 3 sessions per week for several years. The higher frequency of sessions combats the natural tendency to avoid painful topics and allows for deeper explorations---trying to get to the root issues. Psychoanalysis is powerful therapy, but it’s not for everyone. In my experience less intensive therapy should be attempted first.

Couple Therapy

 

Relationships are important to our mental (and physical) health. Keeping a relationship healthy requires effort in the form of communication, listening, understanding and negotiating differences, and acceptance to name a few. When partners’ best efforts fall short dysfunction can set in and professional assistance is needed. My typical couple assessment consists of four sessions: an initial session with the couple, followed by individual sessions with each party, then another meeting with the couple to report my assessment and recommendations for treatment.

Medication

 

My philosophy derived from clinical experience is that medication is best prescribed in the context of an ongoing therapeutic relationship. In that context I am able to develop an environment of trust and understanding. A more intimate grasp of my patients’ minds allows me to better assess the effects of medication. Ideally medication and psychotherapy work hand in hand. As medication can help one be less fearful of being overwhelmed by their emotions, in therapy they are more able to experience and explore feelings they have previously defended against. And, as they work through those feelings, they find new and improved means of coping with their emotions.

Professional Consultation

 

I enjoy the opportunity to supervise other mental health practitioners. Psychiatric residents, psychoanalytic candidates, and fellow clinicians use our time together to review cases and expand their understanding and clinical skill sets. As a relatively senior clinician I have the benefits of having seen many clinical situations, yet I find that I continue to learn from teaching others.