Approach
Careful attention to what hurts, and serious attention to what you want
You work with me personally. I take both your emotional pain and your ambitions seriously. I ask careful questions, offer my perspective, and help you understand patterns that can be difficult to see on your own.
DBT
Dialectical behavior therapy
DBT offers practical skills for regulating intense emotions, tolerating distress, communicating effectively and staying present. My DBT background includes extensive clinical experience and five years of research in the field. We use these skills when they fit your situation, applied to the moments you actually face.
Psychodynamic
Understanding the pattern
Psychodynamic work looks at how earlier experiences and relationships shape the way you react now, often in ways that are hard to notice from the inside. Understanding where a pattern comes from can make it much easier to change.
Cognitive behavioral
Thoughts, actions and follow-through
Cognitive behavioral approaches help with the thoughts and habits that keep anxiety, low mood and avoidance going, and with the concrete steps that turn an intention into something you sustain.
How we begin
We begin with a careful assessment of what brings you in, your history, your strengths, and the changes you want to make. We consider how emotions, relationships and current demands interact. I share my understanding of what may be contributing to the difficulty, and we agree on a starting focus.
What the middle looks like
We might examine why a disagreement repeatedly ends in distance, what happens when you feel overwhelmed, or what an important next step asks of you emotionally. I will be direct when I notice something that may be getting in your way, and we will think together about how to respond differently.
Treatment may include exploring recurring patterns, working through painful experiences, and practicing ways to manage emotions, communicate, or follow through on an important decision.
How we know it is working
We pay attention to changes in your daily life, such as how an argument goes, how you handle a hard week, or whether you are moving toward something you care about. We revisit the focus as the work develops, so that therapy stays connected to your life rather than drifting.
With teenagers
With adolescents, I take time to understand their own concerns and goals, including when a parent first suggested therapy. We discuss parent involvement and confidentiality at the outset.
Start with a free consultation
A 15-minute phone call to talk about what you are looking for. Sessions are in person on the Upper East Side, 50 minutes, $350.