How I Work

I’ll start by saying what I don’t do, which is what I call “sexy” therapy. If you want the latest and greatest interventions, to have a wand waved in front of your face, get hooked up to things or have your brain stimulated, or be coached into actualizing and maximizing your potential so you can join the FIRE movement, I’m happy to refer you to others who do those things (and well). Just about all therapy methods are useful and what is most effective often just depends on the uniqueness of client, the therapist, and what happens between them.

Instead, in the therapy room, whether with individuals or couples, I do “tried and true” – create an open, receptive, and genuine connection; bring my own awareness and personality to bear in professionally-responsible ways; get to know the client(s) and his or her world from the inside out; give feedback and ask questions; provide an adequate mix of nurture and challenge; and share as many perspectives as possible. Change is (almost) all but inevitable in such a process, because, as the inimitable existential therapist Irvin Yalom says, “it’s the relationship that heals.”

But I’m not a guru, just a guy who stumbled into this field 20 years ago and has to practice what I preach, day in and day out, just like everybody else.

Nor is this kind of therapy navel-gazing. So if you want someone to simply vent to because you choose not to cultivate friendships organically, or you’re only interested in trying to answer all of life’s (ultimately unanswerable) “why’s” but not actually do anything to make your life better today, you may want to look elsewhere. To me, therapy is about CHANGE – in perspectives, behaviors, emotions, and/or relationships. And change is what I assume you are here to do (or are at least considering…I can work with that too). So it’s my goal to help you get unstuck, as quickly as possible, and back to a life worth living.

That’s one reason why, when working individually at least, I tend to prefer to first lay a clinical foundation on what’s called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (referred to, and pronounced as, “ACT” for short). This model focuses on three general change processes:

becoming open and aware of your internal and external experience (thoughts, sensations, etc.)
not getting bogged down and missing life by avoiding unpleasant thoughts/feelings/situations, on the one hand, or buying into all the nonsense your mind often tells you, on the other
identifying and acting on your cherished values in a way that makes life worth living

ACT provides a number of experiential tools to change the way you relate to yourself on a fundamental level. Once clients have gained some initial stability by putting some of these into practice, then our work can really take off.

Otherwise, I tend to prefer working relatively briefly and systemically, keeping in mind the significance of someone’s past and present relationships, as well as collaboratively, in a client-centered way, meaning I invite feedback from the client as to what he or she wants from the process and try to tailor my approach as best I can, recognizing that a rubber band can only stretch so far before it snaps and is useless. If a client wants a type of therapy or style that’s just not in my wheelhouse, I’m more than happy to help them find someone more suitable. No therapist is going to be a great fit with everyone who comes through the door.

Important Documents

If after a brief consult we decide to work together, I’ll eventually ask you to complete and return some of these documents. And once we do make contact, I will send you an encrypted email. Please save this, as replying to it provides a secure way for you to send completed forms and documents back to me.

Intake Questionnaire

Download the intake questionnaire here in fillable PDF format. Either complete it digitally or print and do so by hand. Depending on your PDF app, you may have to hover your cursor over the text fields to reveal them.

Professional Disclosure Statement

Click here. Once the document opens, click the “download” icon (a downward arrow), usually in the top-right portion of the screen. This includes more information about the process of therapy and logistics as well as the HIPAA Notice of Privacy Practices, a telehealth consent, and – for couples – a specific couples therapy consent and “no secrets” policy. This must be signed in the appropriate places and returned to me before our first session.

Good Faith Estimate

Click here for a sample. This GFE will be reviewed with you if we begin to work together.

Release of Information

Click here if you’d like me to have contact with another provider or contact person.