My Approach to Helping
I work deeply with patients to help them better understand and overcome the inner obstacles, many of which may not be conscious, to a happier, more meaningful life. As a child psychologist, my focus is to help the child resolve issues that are derailing developmental growth, whether it be at home, in school or with peers. In addition, I am a fully trained child, adolescent and adult psychoanalyst. I incorporate my deep understanding of the human mind in conjunction with my training in and appreciation of dynamic family systems. All psychological issues are both intrapsychic and interpersonal. I value the patient\'s perceptions of him or herself but I do not ignore real-life events. My work with couples tends focuses on conflict resolution through exploration and explication of the precipitating event which often represents a culmination and accumulation of less verbalized and less conscious interpersonal as well as individual issues.
More Info About My Practice
In addition to working as a clinician, I am a management consultant with a specialty in family owned and run businesses. My expertise in understanding family systems and dynamics is particularly useful in helping family businesses disentangle the "family" from the "business". The transition of power from one generation to the next is often especially problematic in family businesses, as are issues of independence and autonomy.
My View on the Purpose of Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is the art and science of leading a horse to water. Whether or not the horse drinks the water is, of course, up to the horse. This may sound glib but I find it profoundly meaningful to keep in mind. I work very hard and collaboratively with each and every patient I see. I am not only an active listener but an active advocate for the patient's mental health. I challenge them to look at themselves in ways that may not feel good in the moment but are ultimately good for them. I often tell my patients that they are living out a script that was likely handed down to them through the generations of their families of origin. A primary goal of the work I do is to enable the patient to write his or her own script, which has the additional benefit of ensuring that the patient will not unwittingly pass on this legacy to his or her own children, should they decide to have them.
