Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement. Nothing can be done without hope and confidence.
Helen Keller
How I Help My Clients Live Their Best Lives
Psychodynamic therapy.
​
Attending to your deep self. Including your life history, family bonds, attachment style (anxious, avoidant, secure?), and basic sense of connection in life. ​If you have unresolved trauma, we can use EMDR sessions to process it, and I will advise a few healing practices for daily life.
Cognitive & Mindfulness.
​
We will look at how you can relate with your habitual thoughts, feelings and actions in a more mindful, empowered way. Cultivating mindfulness means being more present to your self and your life. And being present is where love and happiness begin!
Relationships.
​
Relationships are where everything shows up. I can help you assess the main challenges and opportunities for improving your relationships. This includes finding the balance between empathy and boundaries. I also have a system for assessing if a romantic relationship can last.
Integrative, tailored approach.
Effective psychotherapy has been shown to solve problems in the short term while also creating stable, long-term well-being. When we meet, my goal is to understand your present concerns and help you find new actions to improve the situation. That, already, helps people feel a lot better within a session or two.
As we move forward with our sessions, I will also help you look at the bigger picture in your life. I want to help you upgrade your whole life. That means understanding yourself better, building better habits of self-care and mindfulness, and improving your relationships.
​
Simply put, my practice is about fostering well-being and wisdom that you take with you for life.
Background and Approach
As a Clinical Psychologist (PhD or PsyD) my expertise allows me to diagnose and treat most mental health problems. My integrative approach to counseling will help you see the underlying issues and make those key inner and outer changes that really improve your life.
​
I am a psychodynamic therapist with a strong focus on the therapeutic relationship, healing trauma (with EMDR), improving relationship habits, and developing mindfulness and cognitive flexibility. If you have panic attacks and anxiety, we can focus specifically on that with Cognitive-Behavioral techniques and mindfulness. ​
Narcissism
How does someone with significant narcissistic traits behave?
The first thing I will say about narcissism is that there is a big difference between having Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) and having some narcissistic traits, or tendencies. Personality disorder means there is a deeply entrenched dysfunction, that warps the person's character and causes major problems in many areas of life. To have certain traits or tendencies is much less severe, and is amenable to improvement.
Let's address what it means to have narcissistic traits. Narcissism, in a general sense, is a personality structure marked by a lack of stability or health in the self-concept. This makes a person feel fundamentally deficient, empty or "no good," such that one compensates (unconsciously) with the well known narcissistic self-absorption, grandiosity, inflation, arrogance, superficial charm and defensiveness. The most noticable trait of narcissism is a preoccupation with constructing, sustaining, inflating or defending an idealized self-image.