Greetings,

Thank you for visiting my website. I am a psychologist who has been practicing independently since 1992. During that time I have seen hundreds of patients with a wide variety of difficulties. I have primarily treated adults and older adults and currently see mostly older adults Much of my work is in retirement communities, where I spend two whole days and two half days a week. I also see people in my office, at their homes and provide telephone coaching. In addition to any number of psychological difficulties, most of my patients have chronic illnesses of one sort or another, many with MS.

I practice in a variety of modalities – that means that I apply the techniques and relational styles that I believe best fit my client. I use behavioral and cognitive methods, but I am also comfortable with Jungian and Existential depth psychology, dream interpretation, and hypnosis. In every situation my approach is collaborative with my client – my job is to find out what the client needs and to provide the help that is an optimal match. This style is often called relational or eclectic. I think of it more as a life span developmental approach – people face different challenges throughout the life span and require different sorts of resources, tools and coaching at different times of life.

I am an active participant in the therapeutic relationship. I give advice, suggest homework, discuss goals, and share information that I believe will help my clients better understand their circumstances and develop ways to manage. I consider psychotherapy to be a collaborative relationship that includes two active participants working together on one person’s problems.

In telephone coaching, my style is similar, but the methods are more limited. I can’t reliably diagnose mental health difficulties, I can’t use relaxation and hypnosis and I can’t see body language. So it is not psychotherapy of the sort that one can practice in an office or someone’s residence. That is why I refer to it as coaching and ask that people I talk to understand that their time on the phone with me is of a different nature than what they would be doing with me face to face. In telephone coaching goals are more focused, practical and I am more likely to make direct recommendations of what to do and alternatively, tell clients that they need someone to work with face to face. I do not have confidence that telephone relationships can treat serious depression and anxiety, and don’t recommend that it be used for this purpose.

That being said, I find that working with people is a highly gratifying task both in person and on the telephone. Each relationship is a unique and often rewarding collaboration. This kind of relationship is a rare occurrence in our society – to have a period of time where one person’s well-being is the unique focus of a collaboration with a professional who is committed to let no other considerations interfere with that time. I recommend it.