The empirical literature indicates two things very clearly: therapy works and the biggest predictor of positive outcomes is the quality of the bond you form with your therapist. In other words, that they “get me.” I therefore believe it’s vital that you feel safe, valued, and understood as one human being connecting with another. That connection is the foundation and engine for the rest of our work.

I like to understand therapy as a shared endeavor at pattern finding. I find that things like depression, anxiety, or struggles with intimacy are not distinct symptoms that we need to fix. This approach can lead to a return of these symptoms after therapy is ended as the underlying causes are left unaddressed. Rather, I believe these experiences are manifestations of larger patterns that need to be understood and processed to heal the root causes.

I therefore take a warm, active approach to therapy that seeks to increase your ability to recognize your patterns, identify the roots of those patterns, and explore new ways of being with yourself and others. I often use our relationship as a sort of laboratory to help you experiment with new behaviors in a safe, validating environment before trying them out in “real life.” My aim is therefore not to simply help you decrease whatever pain brings you to me but to help you find richer, more vibrant ways of being in the world.