My Approach

Anxiety often comes from the unknown. So, let me do my best to outline my approach so that we can remove some of the unknown.

Starting therapy can be a daunting task.

Vulnerability is at the center of this work. After all, you’re coming to someone and admitting there’s something you’re struggling with.

Then, you have to wonder (often with some anxiety):

Can my challenge be overcome?

Will I be able to do the work necessary to make a change?

Is therapy the right solution for me?

In therapy, the focus is entirely on you.

I offer a free consultation to see whether we’re a good fit to work with each other. I’ll start to hear your story and understand the elements that led you to where you are now. I’ll also tell you more about myself and my approach so you can feel more comfortable sharing with me.

As we begin our work together, I will ask you about your history. Without judgment, I will listen to you. You can share as much or as little as you would like.

Over time, we will explore and process any parts of your life that have shaped who you are, both positive and negative. This process will allow me to know who you are and allow you to be open and honest about your experiences.

During our first appointment…

I will ask you about your life. You can think of it as telling me part of your life story.

I understand that can be challenging.

We won’t cover everything, but we’ll start, and I will guide you through the process. We’ll then discuss some initial goals we can start working on together.

We’ll create a plan tailored to you and your needs.

What do you want to achieve?

Where do you want to go?

How do you want to get there?

What will you need to accomplish your goals?

Many of my clients feel as though something is missing. They want to feel more fulfilled and happier. I can help you understand what is important to your well-being and how to attain it.

Other clients have a specific issue they want to understand and overcome. It might be a behavior they engage in that they want to change. We will work to understand how the behavior developed, how it serves you, and how to change it.

We’ll use a wide range of techniques.

Talking comes first. Sharing what you are challenged by is therapeutic in itself. I can give you perspective as a neutral, nonjudgmental party that can help you navigate difficult experiences.

Over time, your brain has developed many automatic processes to help you cope with everything around you. We will explore what has influenced the automatic processes that have developed in you. I will guide you through exercises to help you start to identify those automatic processes and change those that don’t serve you.

We often develop habits that help us in the moment but ultimately don’t serve us. Playing a game on your phone might feel good when you’re bored waiting for a friend. But, suddenly, you’re now playing that game whenever you have a spare moment. We’ll understand how those habits developed and then use specific strategies to reduce them while developing more satisfying habits.

And you’ll acquire lots of new skills.

Skills to help you in the moment…

You get home after a long day at work only to hear your kids yelling about whose turn it is on the game they’re playing. You feel your jaw clench, and your stomach tighten, and rather than say hi to them, you go straight to your room and shut the door. You already feel defeated at the thought of having to go back out and start prepping for dinner. Through our work, you will learn to cope with moments of stress and frustration and keep them from overwhelming you.

When your boss tells you that you must stay late yet again to work on the project he’s mismanaged, you’ll learn how to tell him no and how to stop it from happening again and again.

Skills to improve your resilience…

You make a mistake at work and get yelled at by your boss. At home, your partner criticizes you for the meal you made. You start questioning everything you’re doing and wondering if it’s good enough. Feelings of anxiety create doubt in your mind, and suddenly your productivity at work is dropping, and you’re not as present with your family.

Through our work, you will learn to be more self-compassionate and how to counter feelings of anxiety. We all have things that make us anxious, but you can learn how to recognize them and not let them limit you. It might be a specific breathing strategy that allows you to let the anxiety dissipate so you can not let it distract you. It could be learning to counter anxious thoughts and teaching your mind to respond to situations more rationally.

Skills for a greater sense of well-being…

Exercise, meditation, healthy relationships, and having interesting hobbies are some areas research shows are beneficial to our well-being. But, given all the demands placed on us, how do we regularly access these areas to gain their benefits? Forming habits allows these activities to become automatic, so you don’t have to expend as much energy and willpower to engage with them.

I’ll help you learn specific strategies to effectively implement these habits into your life so you can balance your day-to-day activities while taking care of your well-being.

It starts with your free consultation.

I offer a free consultation to see whether we’re a good fit to work with each other.

On the call, I’ll ask you why you’re considering therapy and how long you’ve felt this way.

I will ask what you’ve done to address this issue or issues, including any prior experiences with therapy.

I’ll also answer any questions about me or our work together. Then, if we decide that we are a good fit to work together, we will schedule an initial appointment.

You’ve already made the first step!

Now, take the next one. You can do this! Call today for your free consultation: (914) 202-3431.