The two most important factors in effective psychotherapy are finding the right person with whom you can connect and knowing that the therapy is geared to your unique needs. My 40 years of counseling have taught me that therapy works when we work together. Therapy is a cooperative effort. I want to help you identify your strengths and apply them to your problems. I believe in going forward to work on goals and only going back to the past if there is a block. I realize that no two people are the same and therefore, tailor my therapy to meet the specific needs of my clients. Whether you are struggling with addictions, trauma anxiety, depression or any other issue, we can find a way to bring healing, control, and peace into your life.

A key component of most up-to-date counseling therapies is the concept of mindfulness. The idea is that by being aware (mindful) of the current moment, we can learn to focus only on what is right in front of us, and not get drawn into the traumas of the past nor worry of the future. The techniques I use are guided visualizations, breath work, progressive body relaxation, and anchoring (a way to access positive feelings). This is an area I will help you explore, if you are interested. It, in many ways, can have the most long-term effect.

Addiction has become an epidemic that is sweeping the nation and tragically destroying many lives. Often help does not seem available, or it seems to be ineffective.  While there is no magic treatment, I believe I can help. I like to work with the family to help the addict and to motivate him/her to get treatment. In the early stages of addiction or in early recovery, outpatient counseling is the most effective treatment. There are many forms of addiction: alcohol, drugs, sex, pornography, gambling, and eating.  While each have their own pattern, there are many similarities. Each can be quite destructive both to the person and the family.  However, in the last 40 years I have successfully treated hundreds of persons with addiction. Unfortunately, recovery is not always a one-time process.  Relapse is common and success may require several bouts of treatment, but one should never give up hope.  

Treatment includes:

• a complete assessment including what mental health factors may be involved
• education about the nature of addiction and how to overcome it
• identifying personal strengths and ways to utilize them in recovery
• identifying high-risk situations and how to avoid them
• developing a relapse prevention plan
• linking to outside support systems including self-help groups such as 12 Step groups like AA
• promoting recovery as a meaningful and fulfilling way of life
• work with families to educate and support them in their difficulties

There is a saying related to overcoming difficult situations: “You alone can do it, but you can’t do it alone.” I think all my clients have thought that at some time they could do it alone, but then realized, they needed help. Reaching for professional help is a wise decision, not a symptom of weakness. Whether it be depression, anxiety, a difficult relationship, recent loss, past or current trauma, parenting difficulties, or adjustment to a new situation, the underlying result is stress. Learning to deal with stress and creating and working a plan to free yourself often takes someone who is non-judgmental, cares unconditionally, and is #sensitive to your specific needs. My years of experience have prepared me to be such a therapist.

I use several treatment techniques including:

• EMDR Therapy  (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing)
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy
• Brief solution-oriented therapy
• Neuro-linguistic therapy (NLP)
• Guided ImageryReintegrative Therapy