Psychodynamic Therapy

I believe many individuals can be a product of their environment and can be helpful to explore their childhood/home environments and impact on their adult life and relationship behaviors/patterns.

I believe that our past creates the lens through which we see the world, including our relationship with those around us. Gaining insight into our patterns and these lenses can allow us greater choice and freedom in our present and future.

I was trained in psychodynamic psychotherapy at the University of Chicago. Psychodynamic therapy, combined with other approaches, such as energy therapy techniques can be very effective in treating a number of conditions. That said, I don't get stuck on one or two approaches. That would be like a medical doctor who only prescibes penicillin. A good therapist needs a lot of tools in his or her toolbox.

Psychodynamic therapy is a type of talk therapy that explores how people's current lives are affected by past experiences, unconscious beliefs and fantasies, and "unacceptable" feelings and thoughts. The analyst helps clients talk about all of these things by creating a non-judgmental space and helping people see that any thoughts and feelings are tolerable and acceptable and can be separated from our actions that impact our success in relationship with others and ourselves.

Psychodynamic therapy is a therapeutic treatment that primarily focuses on the interpretation of mental and emotional processes. It shares much in common with psychoanalysis and is often considered a simpler, less time consuming alternative. Psychodynamic therapy seeks to reveal the unconscious content of a client's psyche in an effort to alleviate psychic tension.

Psychodynamic therapy is based on the concept that talking about problems can help people learn and develop the skills they need to address them. It is an approach that embraces the multifaceted aspects of an individual’s life. It strives to help people understand the sometimes unknown or unconscious motivations behind difficult feelings and behaviors. Having this insight can lead to symptom relief, help people feel better, and allow them to make better choices.

Psychodynamic styles all rely on the fact that much of our lives occurs outside of our awareness. Old-school psychoanalysts focus on "the unconscious"; neuroscientists estimate that we are unaware of as much as 95 % of our cognitive activity, including decisions and emotions. The psychodynamic style I use relies on the power of creative dialogue and narrative to bring your experience into fully embodied awareness. The more aware you are, the more choices you see. I am a licensed psychoanalyst.

I’m not the kind of therapist we envision from classic tv shows with the couch & the nods and smiles. I’m pretty active in session. I‘m curious and investigative and I want to dig in deep so your understanding and compassion for yourself can start to emerge and aha moments can begin. I will encourage you to turn the inner insights you have through our sessions into steps in the outer world. This is a gentle process that goes at your pace.

Looking at what we see, what we think, what we feel, what is obvious, what is hidden, what is conscious, what is unconscious, what we are doing, what we did, what we want, what we don't want, talking freely and openly as comfort and trust allow in order to sort out what we are all about.

I have studied psychodynamic psychotherapy at the Washington Baltimore Center for Psychoanalysis (where I received my Academic Candidacy), International Psychotherapy Institute, and The New York Psychoanalytic Society & Institute and have published in the International Journal for Psychoanalysis. Psychodynamic treatment offers the opportunity to examine the deep structure of your thinking, feeling, and behavior, in order to understand the patterns you fall into.

I make use of psychodynamic therapy interventions to deep dive into clients' pasts and experiences and help form understanding and insight about current feelings, behaviors, and patterns. This can be used to increase self awareness and growth, as well as instigate behavioral change over time.

My graduate training was primarily rooted in contemporary psychodynamic therapy. What this means is that our work together can incorporate safely exploring your emotions (even those that might be painful!), identifying recurring themes or patterns in your life, and talking about how your past experiences might still be impacting you in the present. I also believe that the relationship between therapist and client is critical and that we can use it to learn more about how you relate to others.

Through this collaborative approach, I encourage the exploration of past and present emotions, beliefs, experiences, and behaviors and work with you to develop a deeper understanding of your early life experiences. Through this process, I believe individuals are able to develop meaningful insight into themselves and their lives.

Psychodynamic therapy is the evolution of Freudian psychoanalyst into the world of today. Yes, we will discuss your childhood. Yes, we will see how your relationship with your parents has shaped your view of the world. However, we take this knowledge and use it to integrate that trauma. When this trauma is integrated into your self-concept, it stops being painful and starts to be source of strength. We pride ourselves in turning pain into power.

We approach therapy through a contemporary psychdynamic lens to understand what is being communicated through one's behaviors and understand how past experiences are influencing current relationships. As we form our relationships we have found that individuals develop deeper insight, aiding with a deeper understanding of themselves, and experiencing more lasting and sustainable relief.

My primary training backgrounds are CBT and Psychodynamic counseling. I integrate these approaches to offer both stabilization and exploration of root causes for my clients. Additionally, I stay up-to-date with the latest research and theoretical orientations to offer each client an individual approach to counseling based on their needs.

I understand that therapy is a space to learn how past experiences can play out in the present and how attachment styles and trauma can impact current and future relationships. I believe therapy is a healing, safe space; a place to deconstruct and a place to increase awareness and insight about the self.