Philosophy

 

Throughout my years of clinical assessment, diagnosis, and treatment, I have learned to observe some of the factors that lead to behavioral problems, relational problems, and clinical disorders (such as depression, anxiety, bipolar, Posttraumatic Stress, personality, somatic, and various other clinical disorders).
 
I have observed these very same patterns in my work with men and women of various ages and ethnicities (Caucasian, African American, Hispanic, Asian, Eastern Indian, Native American, Middle Eastern), and of various spiritual persuasions (Christian, Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, Agnostic, Atheist, etc.).
 
What I have consistently found, is that effective therapy relies on an understanding that on some level, clients know more about their own problems than anyone else.  However, there are barriers—generally mental and emotional—which prevent people from accessing their place of wisdom.  Meaning, fear, guilt, anger, resentment, disappointment, betrayal, shame, and other intense emotions become the barriers which prevent access to improved mental states; or denial of there being a problem can also impede mental health.  It is my professional responsibility, based on my years of training and clinical experience, to help create a safe therapeutic environment (safe enough to manage these uncomfortable emotions and appropriately confront denial); and then guide my clients towards recognizing this self-insight.  Honest self-insight (although it can be painful) facilitates the ability to make changes in mental perspectives, attitudes, and alter behaviors.
My successes as a psychologist have come from acknowledging this, facilitating the movement toward insight and awareness (no matter how emotionally painful), developing appropriate tools, changing mental perspectives and judgments, and finally, easing the dis-ease surrounding various hidden motives.
 
Therefore, an INTEGRATIVE treatment approach allows me to apply various theoretical systems of recovery in the process toward mental health.  Change does indeed happen.  It takes hard work, courage, and the realization that there is a necessary PROCESS toward health that is involved.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Psychodynamic
Behavioral
Emotion-based Therapies
Exposure-based elements
Reprocessing
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) elements
Humanistic elements
Existential elements

* Spiritual integration (as desired and applicable to your beliefs)