Location:
Malvern,, PA 19355
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Education:
Ph.D., clinical psychology from CA School of Professional Psychology in 1989
Certification/ Advanced Training from AEDP Institute in
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Philosophy:
When you are in emotional pain and ready for change, time is of the essence. Anxiety, stress, depression, self-defeating behavior or relationship issues often get in the way of having the personal or professional life we really want. Because these issues tend to result from long-standing and ingrained patterns, it is difficult to change alone, even when we see the negative results daily and are motivated to act or feel differently. It is difficult to be truly happy and function at your best if your primary and most significant relationship is troubled; if you are experiencing conflict, tension and disconnection; and if you are feeling unsupported, unappreciated, misunderstood or invalidated. One of the most basic human needs is to feel connected and one of the most painful human experiences is to feel alone. As a therapist, I actively engage and collaborate to help you remove barriers, use your innate capacities for growth and discover core patterns that are repeatedly getting in the way of your happiness and goals.
My goal is to help you begin healing yourself and your primary relationship as quickly as possible in the context of a compassionate, safe and supportive relationship. With individuals, I address habitual patterns that are blocking healthy, often hidden, aspects of your personality and strive to activate innate capacities for growth. For couples, by closely exploring communication patterns and barriers to closeness, I help break patterns of defensive or distant relating and teach ways to connect which are more authentic and rewarding.
The type of therapy I practice and teach focuses on the present and on transformation, to give you a different type of experience from the very beginning. I have conducted therapy in many different ways; I have found that it is much more important to focus on what needs are not being met in the here and now, rather than explore historical reasons for your problems. Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy (AEDP), a focused, and active model, with a high degree of therapist involvement, uses an innovative approach to achieve results quickly, even for long-standing issues. Clients typically report feeling a natural and collaborative rapport from the beginning and throughout the process that enables them to make life-affirming changes. I am highly engaged in the process so that we do the work together. The focus is on current needs rather than on the past; on what is needed now for healing rather what happened in the past to cause problems, and on having a different type of experience rather than relieving old trauma. If you want further information about AEDP, visit the website: www.aedpinstitute.com. You can also see my bio under the "Senior Faculty" section
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Practice:
In my practice, I see adolescents, adults and couples in various formats, such as individual psychotherapy, couples/ family sessions, parenting consultation and crisis intervention depending on what is needed. In addition to typical therapy issues, I specialize with those who have often been labeled "resistant" or "poorly motivated," and may tend to act out or have a history of numerous failures in therapy. I believe my experience and training has given me the ability to connect in a way that addresses underlying core issues, while avoiding other paths which are often distractions that prolong or defeat successful outcomes.
I worked in an emergency psychiatric hospital (Montgomery County Emergency Service, Inc) for 16 years with severe emotional issues, crisis, substance abuse and involuntarily committed patients. In this short term setting, I was exposed to just about every type of emotional and relationship problem imaginable. I learned to help individuals, couples and families quickly understand emotional issues and relationship patterns that were undermining their happiness and creating dysfunction. I have received considerable advanced training (described below) which functions well as a map to help guide the process.
I offer a free 15-20 minute initial consultation by phone to provide an opportunity for you to ask questions and get a sense of my therapy orientation and interpersonal style. Similarly, I offer a comprehensive evaluation and consultation phase to give you a chance to see how we work together. Following this comprehensive evaluation, conducted over several sessions, people usually have a clearer and more realistic sense of what they need to focus on in therapy. Having a clearer view of the path in the beginning typically results in a more focused, efficient and effective treatment, with less ambivalence and discomfort.
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Additional information:
The decision to seek professional help is often a difficult one with profound consequences. I understand how stressful the change process can be, but also know how rewarding and life-changing it can be. I can not imagine a more rewarding profession than one that involves helping people improve the quality of their lives. I consider it a privilege to participate in this process and look forward to the opportunity to work together |
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Area of Specialization:
. Adolesecents
. Adults
.. Family Therapy
.. Individual Therapy
..Marriage Counseling
ADD & Disruptive Behaviors
Affairs & Infidelity
Anger Management
Anxiety and Panic
Death, Dying & Loss
Depression
Domestic Violence
Drug & Alcohol Addictions
Eating Disorders
Parenting
PTSD
Relationship Problems
Somatoform Disorders
Trauma
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Setting:
I have been in full time private practice for the past three years in Malvern, PA where I conduct psychotherapy, as well as training groups for therapists. I no longer accept insurance, as the restrictions imposed by various administrative requirements made it increasingly difficult to provide quality services to those in need. I will work with you regarding fee if that is needed and offer a "superbill" which can be submitted to your insurance company for out-of-network benefits.
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Payment types accepted:
cash
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Ph.D.
PA License# PS-005566-L
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Experience:
20 yrs. general counseling
17 yrs. marriage counseling |
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