Psychotherapy: My Approach and Philosophy

As a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (license #MFC39338), I provide psychotherapy for individuals, couples, children, and families. I also provide supervision to unlicensed practitioners, and am available for trainings to both professionals and non-professionals. I am experienced in a broad range of presenting issues, and have also developed specializations in several areas, including:

• Drug and alcohol problems (including other addictions and recovery)
• Relationships and communication issues (also see couples counseling)
• Child and teen-aged clients
• Infertility & family building (including adoption, surrogacy, and medical fertility treatments)
• Gifted clients (both adults & children)
• Gay and lesbian concerns (including coming out and relationships)

Every psychotherapist brings to this profession his or her own skills, personality, and approach. Thus, while therapy is based in science and training, it is also very much an art. That is why it is important to find a therapist with whom you feel safe, comfortable, and at times a bit challenged.

Psychotherapy with me is not a place where you will be given advice or told what to do. It is a place where together we can explore options, build skills, brain-storm about possibilities, sit with uncomfortable feelings or realizations, review without judgment what works and what doesn’t work for you, try new things, and ultimately heal and grow. My work is based in some key beliefs:

• I believe in the dignity and worth of all individuals and work to affirm it.
• I strive for compassion, dignity, and transformation in working with others.
• I help people bring possibility into reality.
• I know that life presents challenges and struggles to each of us, and that the process or meeting these challenges can be as important as the result.
• I ascribe to and practice the ethical principles of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT).
• I believe in the power of therapy to help people change.

My approach to therapy is best described as compassionate, nonjudgmental, and collaborative.I believe in the potential of all individuals to grow, become fulfilled, and live satisfying lives. If you are interesting in the possibility of working together, please call me for a free telephone interview to find out more about my work and to see how it would feel to work together. If, during that conversation or a subsequent appointment, it becomes clear that we would not work well together, or if your needs fall outside of my scope of practice, I will be happy to provide you with appropriate referrals to other qualified practitioners.

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