Licensed Psychologist & Psychoanalyst
|
My Approach to TherapyTherapy can be an incredibly rewarding and life-altering experience, but it's one that also requires courage and risk. Since one of the most important factors when considering a therapist is determining how well you fit with one another, let me give you an idea of who I am and how I work.
I work from a relational psychoanalytic perspective. With each individual or couple I work with, I try to develop a deeply meaningful relationship marked by openness, authenticity, and genuine curiosity. I want you to share yourself as openly and candidly as possible, and I'm committed to doing the same. I believe it's only within an open and authentic relationship with another that we can begin to experience ourselves and our relationships in a new and healing way. |
I tend to listen with several ears at once, and I'll encourage you to do the same. I listen carefully to the words you use and to how you use them, to what you say and to what you don't say. I take it as a given that you're always communicating things consciously and unconsciously and that attending closely to our communications will be of most use in helping us understand you and the roots of your problems. I often volunteer my own particular experience of you in the therapeutic relationship and will frequently share this directly with you, guided by the hope that we might be able to make sense of it and, ultimately, that it may be of use to our helping you understand yourself and the reasons you're suffering.
I believe therapy is a mutually risky endeavor in which you risk losing something you know for the hope of obtaining something better. I take this risk seriously and participate in it myself by volunteering my own experience of you and its attending risk of upsetting you, me, or both of us. I believe risk and hope are essential to the process of change and finding a way of being that transcends the stagnate and repetitive ones we know. Whatever your experience of our work together, it's my hope that you can come to better love yourself and others, to enjoy your life more richly, and to experience greater freedom and authenticity in your life.
I believe the best way to determine whether or not we're a good fit is to actually meet for a session in person. How well we relate to one another, the kind of insight (or potential for insight) you discover, and your overall feel of who I am and how I work are often able to be discerned within the first few sessions. Since who you work with makes such a big impact on the kind of changes possible, finding the right fit is essential. Trusting yourself and your feelings is the most important advice I can offer.
I tend to listen with several ears at once, and I'll encourage you to do the same. I listen carefully to the words you use and to how you use them, to what you say and to what you don't say. I take it as a given that you're always communicating things consciously and unconsciously and that attending closely to our communications will be of most use in helping us understand you and the roots of your problems. I often volunteer my own particular experience of you in the therapeutic relationship and will frequently share this directly with you, guided by the hope that we might be able to make sense of it and, ultimately, that it may be of use to our helping you understand yourself and the reasons you're suffering.
I believe therapy is a mutually risky endeavor in which you risk losing something you know for the hope of obtaining something better. I take this risk seriously and participate in it myself by volunteering my own experience of you and its attending risk of upsetting you, me, or both of us. I believe risk and hope are essential to the process of change and finding a way of being that transcends the stagnate and repetitive ones we know. Whatever your experience of our work together, it's my hope that you can come to better love yourself and others, to enjoy your life more richly, and to experience greater freedom and authenticity in your life.
I believe the best way to determine whether or not we're a good fit is to actually meet for a session in person. How well we relate to one another, the kind of insight (or potential for insight) you discover, and your overall feel of who I am and how I work are often able to be discerned within the first few sessions. Since who you work with makes such a big impact on the kind of changes possible, finding the right fit is essential. Trusting yourself and your feelings is the most important advice I can offer.
About Me
I began my studies in philosophy before moving on to study psychology. I became inspired by the depth of understanding and wisdom of human behavior and relationships that I discovered within the psychoanalytic tradition. I found the insight and personal growth I experienced as a result of my own involvement in self-exploration to be foundational to my own growth as a person and decided to become a psychoanalyst. Psychoanalytic therapy requires advanced training comprised of extensive post-graduate coursework, intensive personal therapy for the therapist-in-training, and close supervision of the therapist's work with patients. I completed additional training at Columbia University in Transference-Focused Psychotherapy (TFP), a specialized form of treatment for people with personality disorders.
My wife and I established a private practice in PA for five years while we completed additional clinical training. In addition to private practice, I have worked in university counseling centers, community mental health centers, and group practices. I have also taught Introduction to Psychology as an adjunct professor and have assisted in teaching courses on personality theory and assessment. I have a special interest in the study of personality development and object relations theory. I am especially interested in teaching and providing consultation and supervision to other clinicians in the field. I find these foster my own sense of creativity and help inspire my own continued growth and development.
In addition to my professional life, I love the outdoors, cycling, music, and great coffee. I grew up playing guitar before eventually studying violin and viola. I now enjoy biking and hiking outdoors, hunting for the next great coffee shop, and finding new musical artists and bands.
My wife and I established a private practice in PA for five years while we completed additional clinical training. In addition to private practice, I have worked in university counseling centers, community mental health centers, and group practices. I have also taught Introduction to Psychology as an adjunct professor and have assisted in teaching courses on personality theory and assessment. I have a special interest in the study of personality development and object relations theory. I am especially interested in teaching and providing consultation and supervision to other clinicians in the field. I find these foster my own sense of creativity and help inspire my own continued growth and development.
In addition to my professional life, I love the outdoors, cycling, music, and great coffee. I grew up playing guitar before eventually studying violin and viola. I now enjoy biking and hiking outdoors, hunting for the next great coffee shop, and finding new musical artists and bands.
Credentials
2-year Certificate in Transference-Focused Psychotherapy (2024)
- Columbia University
- Institute for Relational Psychoanalysis of Philadelphia (IRPP)
- Biola University
- Biola University
- University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Services Offered
- Individual Therapy
- Couples Therapy
- Clinical Consultation for clinicians
- Psychoanalytic Reading Groups
Fees & Insurance
My rate for regular psychotherapy sessions for individuals and couples is $200 per session. Sessions are 50 minutes in length, and I typically meet with patients at least once per week. I may meet with patients more frequently depending on a person's needs, desired goals, and preferences. I often find that greater contact increases the depth of treatment and helps create changes in people’s lives that are more immediate and visible.
Although I am not in network with insurance, you may be able to obtain partial reimbursement for my services if your plan includes benefits for out-of-network providers. I would be happy to supply you with a specialized medical receipt you may use to assist in obtaining reimbursement for my services.
Although I am not in network with insurance, you may be able to obtain partial reimbursement for my services if your plan includes benefits for out-of-network providers. I would be happy to supply you with a specialized medical receipt you may use to assist in obtaining reimbursement for my services.