PSYCHOTHERAPY

PSYCHOTHERAPY

Psychotherapy can help to reduce and even resolve a variety of difficulties that can cause distress

– Depression
– Post-traumatic stress
– Life stresses, including changes
– Anxiety
– Relationship problems
– Identity questions
– Dissociation
– History of abuse
– Addictions
– Low self-esteem
– Loss and grief
– Adjustment to medical conditions
– Adjustment to aging

In my psychotherapy practice, I work with individuals ranging from college age and up, and with couples. Consistent with my recognition of the many dimensions of each person, the first sessions are devoted to assessing all the factors that might be contributing to the difficulty that led to seeking therapy. Right from the beginning of the therapy, the process is interactive, with both you and me working as a collaborative team to discover what’s wrong and to decide how to seek resolution. I believe that in each person are the seeds for healing and growth, and the best psychotherapy finds those seeds and just the right ways to nurture them. The best psychotherapy also involves a mutual understanding and commitment to the therapy process.

A foundation of successful therapy is the sense of “fit” between the therapist and patient. Ideally, the patient will experience comfort, confidence, and trust in the therapist. I aim to promote that experience, but if for any reason the patient doesn’t feel that the fit is right, I will gladly help the patient to find another therapist with whom there could be a better fit.

A note about the choice to use the word patient: Some therapists prefer to use the term client; I prefer patient, as its root means “suffering” or “enduring”. A patient is “one who suffers”, and psychotherapy is designed to reduce the suffering that the person no longer can or wants to endure.

During an initial phone conversation, I will ask you to say a little about why you are seeking therapy. We will discuss what you have been experiencing, and what you are hoping for from therapy. Then, if I believe that I can be of help, we will discuss fees, insurance coverage, and scheduling. If we both agree to proceed, we will schedule an initial session. Sessions are 50 minutes long, and usually will be held weekly.

My office is on the East Side of Providence, Rhode Island.  It is located on the second floor, and I am sorry that there is no elevator access.  In some circumstances, sessions can be done through videoconferencing.