Psychotherapy or counseling has been called the “talking cure.” Its purpose is to put words to feelings and experiences in order to think clearly about them and how they fit into our lives, or how they reveal an important part of our identities. We all have times when what we feel is difficult or confusing or even out of reach. We all have had experiences in our lives which have caused us to wonder about ourselves, our families or our world. And, there are times for all of us that the things we experience are so huge or traumatic that they are life-altering. We can all have experiences which open our minds and our hearts in new and possibly scary ways. This can be good, like love, or very difficult, like the loss of a parent or a child. Sharing our feelings with another trained person often helps us to understand ourselves more deeply. When we share our confusions or the painful parts of our lives with a therapist, we look first for empathy, and then for the growth of new understanding, which will hopefully lead us to feel more at peace with ourselves and more secure in our world. Clinical psychologists offer a kind of non-judgemental, empathic listening, and perspective from outside of our pain, which can stimulate understanding, acceptance, meaning, motivation, and peace.

I believe that people work to achieve success and happiness in the best ways they know how, but that there are times in our lives when we feel our ability to solve problems or move forward is hampered by a lack of options and misunderstandings. These are times when I can offer help to expand perspectives and explore alternative solutions. Helping people along this process of change is what brings meaning to my life and it is how I am privileged to make my living.