PSYCHOANALYST & PSYCHOTHERAPIST
I am a psychoanalyst practicing in Union Square, NYC.
When Life Feels Stuck in Repetition
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People tend to come to therapy for two reasons that I describe as surviving or thriving. Some people are struggling to get through each day, overwhelmed by panic, anxiety, trauma, or depression—trying simply to keep from falling apart, to survive. Others come because they feel stuck in relationships or work, or disconnected from their own inner life and a sense of purpose or meaning.
When we go beyond just surviving, all the energy that was needed to avoid breakdown is free to connect to creative potential, to create and meet a new vision of the life you want. This is a key transition, but for many it is surprisingly difficult. Our identity can become tied to our struggles, and it can be a challenge to move beyond old limits and ideas about ourselves. My work with patients supports and advances this vital potential.
How I Work
Today psychoanalysis is experiencing a resurgence of interest. I think this is because depth psychology can help us deal with the chaos and sense of random meaninglessness today.
What does this mean in practical terms? Psychoanalytic listening works from a simple premise: speaking freely about what comes to mind reveals unconscious patterns through associations, emotional reactions, and somatic sensations.
Who May Connect With This Work
What kinds of people connect with this kind of therapy?
People from all over New York City and beyond who are introspective, curious about their inner life, and interested in the hidden roots of what keeps them stagnant or suffering. Some are writers or artists.
Others are just beginning to realize the importance of being mindful and aware of their inner life. Some are only just realizing that they have an inner life at all. They have an intuitive awareness that their potential is not being realized, along with hope that repeating patterns can change.
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Psychoanalysis & Psychotherapy
What is the difference between psychoanalysis and psychoanalytic therapy? The simplified answer is that therapy takes psychoanalytic principles and applies them to weekly sessions, while psychoanalysis often involves multiple sessions and lying on the couch to facilitate greater freedom of expression.
A Little About Me
I have been interested in matters of the inner life since I was young. In college I read Jung, Buddhism, and the work of Gurdjieff before undergoing psychoanalytic training. Years of work with patients in outpatient settings taught me to listen and to value the importance of a safe, warm, containing space. I am also a Buddhist practitioner with an ongoing meditation practice, something I speak about with patients when it seems helpful.
Writing
As a writer, I aim for a style that evokes what I am discussing rather than explaining it didactically. Many writers have attempted something similar, including the Surrealists and various poets. Writing on trauma, for example, can involve repetition and a sense of frozen time.