My first priority is to establish a collaborative relationship with you that is built upon safety and trust.  In fact, the strength of the patient-therapist relationship is the most significant predictor of treatment outcome.  This is best summarized by therapist Dr. Allan Schore, "A patient’s emotional growth depends on the therapist’s ability to move, and to be moved by, those that come to him for help.”  

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I also prefer an integrative approach to care which can include a combination of medication and therapy.  In fact, advances in brain imaging demonstrate that medication and therapy are both biological treatments that work synergistically to restore balance to the brain; medication via chemical changes and therapy via increased neural connectivity.  This rewiring of the brain occurs because therapy provides a new learning experience through which we can explore the meanings attached to past experiences and how those meanings influence your perception of the present. 

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In therapy, we will explore your childhood in order to establish links between your early life experiences and current dysfunctional beliefs (i.e.  "I'm not lovable", "In general, you can't trust other people", "Others won't be there when I need comfort and support").  For more information, see Why taking an early childhood history matters?  Finally, we will work towards incorporating more effective ways of having your emotional needs met.  

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