My Approach
My clinical practice is solidly grounded in traditional mental health care but also integrates mindfulness, mind-body medicine, and positive psychology. It is informed by a consultative approach accessing the client’s inner strengths to achieve long-term results.
Board Certified with a full medical license, I am trained medically to diagnose and treat psychiatric "disorders." Though helpful, scientifically supported, and the mainstream model of mental health care, I often find this model limited in helping my clients achieve the results they desire. In my clinical experience, I find that enhancing traditional care with other therapeutic approaches like mindfulness, mind-body medicine, and positive psychology leads to more effective outcomes.
People seek my services for a variety of reasons. Some of the most common are some combination of feeling stuck, anxious, sad, depressed, angry, confused, stressed, or unhappy. Unsatisfying relationships, poor self-esteem, sexual concerns, compulsive behaviors. Coping with trauma, loss, medical illness; feelings of emptiness, loneliness, interpersonal problems. Suicidal thoughts. Spiritual concerns or looking for more meaning, purpose, connection.
I am trained in teaching stress reduction and promoting self-awareness. Part of my work often involves inviting clients to better understand their patterns of thinking, feeling, behaving, and relating that often contribute to their presenting problems. With greater self-awareness and enhanced ability to cope, the individual can then actively let go of old patterns and move forward with more freedom, capacity, and empowerment.
Many people who come to see me feel out of control in some area of their life. Some of my work is to help provide a safe, stable, and grounded environment that helps facilitate the therapeutic process. I have a collaborative approach where my clients and I work together for an effective result.
I generally give my clients space to tell and process their stories in their own, unhurried way. The therapeutic formula is probably some combination of my clients feeling safe and opening up over time, getting in touch with and accessing their inner resources, and having some facilitation by my knowledge and clinical skills. Much of my work involves regular meetings over many months or years.
My clients have reported experiencing anything from a small reduction in symptoms to complete personal transformation and change.
I also have a clinical interest in how a person’s spirituality influences his or her life, health, and wellness and often invite people to explore these aspects of themselves if they are so inclined.