What Brings People to Therapy
Being stuck is the point where habitual coping strategies that made sense for an earlier time have been overgeneralized to a current life stage in a way that is no longer helpful — a repeated withdrawal to a safe but stagnant status quo.
Trauma, Early Loss & Survival Mode
Trauma is the result of a person being exposed to something well beyond their ability to endure or process. I have a particular interest in people who have experienced early loss — for example, the loss of a parent at a young age. Early loss is experienced differently than loss in later life; young children do not mourn in the same way, and this has implications for therapy, since these experiences cannot easily be accessed as memory. They require a different kind of emotional processing.
Depression, Panic & Obsessive Patterns
Panic and panic attacks can seem like they come from nowhere and are meaningless. Patients begin to develop mastery and agency when they realize their symptoms can be connected to specific fears and early experiences. Obsessions are a different defense — a more cognitive strategy to master overwhelming fears, one that once proved effective. Psychoanalysis and therapy have been extremely effective for both in my experience.
Repeating Patterns & Relationships
"You marry your mother."
It's a simplification, but it has a basis in something real: our stuck repetitions have roots in the history of our relationships going back to the beginning of our lives. Therapy should be more than finding a cheerleader to support your point of view — what promotes change is a sincere appreciation that we all have blind spots, and that admitting this can lead to change even after years of stagnation.
Underachievement, Creative Inhibition & Unrealized Potential
Psychoanalytic thinking has explored the unconscious roots of inspiration. Creative blocks and inhibition make us aware of the elusive nature of motivation. I work with many people who report renewed interest in creative work like writing, acting, and painting, and I enjoy this work very much.
Meaning, Spirituality & the Search for a Life
Spirituality and a sense of meaning is a vital part of human experience. This can take the form of avoidant philosophizing, but when grounded in the emotional experience of everyday life, it can be a means of connecting to a greater sense of purpose. The important thing is not to answer all our questions, but to be guided by real questions that come from one's essence.
Is This Approach Right for You?
Therapy requires a minimal commitment to at least weekly sessions. It is not a problem to arrive some weeks unsure what to talk about — coming in without a plan can be the best way to work. If you have a history of trauma or loss, wish to be more connected to your inner life, or are creatively minded, this approach might be ideal for you.