I have extensive experience in treating depression, anxiety, mild to moderate substance abuse, and relationship problems.

Depression can be characterized by sadness, irritability/anger, low energy, fatigue, loss of motivation for work or leisure activities, poor sleep (sleeping either more or less than usual), and/or poor appetite. Depression can last for extended time periods, but also may last for shorter periods, usually in response to an upsetting event. Depression can be effectively treated by therapy, sometimes in combination with medication prescribed by a psychiatrist or your primary care physician.

Anxiety encompasses a large number of problems, including social anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder, phobias, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. Anxiety can also be effectively treated with therapy, which usually focuses on developing an understanding of your fears and beginning to face those fears. Sound scary? That is why having a therapeutic relationship is important!

Substance abuse also encompasses a large number of problems. I treat mild to moderate substance abuse, in individuals who do not need detoxification. Individuals with more severe substance abuse need, and will benefit more, from very specialized treatment. There are a number of local resources for substance abuse treatment.

Relationship problems can include problems with parents, partners, friends or colleagues. The problems require treatment when they begin to signficantly hinder an individual's ability to have rewarding relationships. Relationship problems can result in feeling lonely, isolated, dependent on someone else, alienated, or often angry at others. Developing a positive relationship with a therapist can help you to develop an understanding of the impact your behaviors have on your important relationships, and we can identify specific steps you can take to change your approach in relationships.

The decision to begin therapy can sometimes be a difficult one to make. There are often fears about what therapy will be like, how long it will take and whether or not it will help. The last two questions are difficult to answer before therapy begins, but I can certainly explain what therapy with me would be like.

I approach therapy very collaboratively; in other words, I like to work with a client to first develop an understanding of the problem(s) and then discuss an approach to addressing them. Often, thoughts that interfere with desired changes are addressed (cognitive therapy) and then we can work to identify specific steps to take to change behavior (behavior therapy), if this is desired. I tend to focus on a client’s relationships with others in his/her life, and how these relationships affect the way the client thinks and acts in other relationships.

With couples and families, I focus on improving communication, as I believe once improved communication skills are developed, the need for couples or family therapy decreases or ends as problems are then able to be addressed at home, without a therapist present. Addressing immediate couple/family problems occurs as new communication skills are developed and practiced.

Therapy does not have to be an intimidating process. In addition, it does not have to last forever. Some people are hesitant to enter therapy, unsure of how long it will last. The length of therapy varies from person to person, but remember, you are in control of how many times you come. In addition, how often you come to therapy can vary. Some prefer to come weekly, whereas others come only every 2-3 weeks. I recommend more frequent sessions initially (at least every other week), simply so we can get to know one another. But once our relationship is established, once every 3-4 weeks might be sufficient.

Please contact me with any questions you might have!