Adult Psychotherapy &

Consultatation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In a nutshell, I begin with this assumption about anyone seeking help: that they’ve tried the best they can with what they know; that, of course, there are things they don’t know (including about themselves); and that, if those areas can be brought to further awareness, and worked through in some meaningful way, new possibilities will emerge. My job is largely to help people know more about themself and about their ways of relating both to themself and to others (the two often being intimately related). There is much that we can never control as human beings, and that will never change. But one thing we can do is to tap into ever larger conceptions and awareness of our experience—which, wherever we go, and whatever we do comes with us. Therapy can widen our conception of what is possible and empower us to achieve new things, while also allowing us to mourn what may not be able to change. Psychoanalytic therapeutic approaches are vehicles for that kind of psychological growth.

Although the specific reasons a person seeks therapy are as infinitely varied as individuals themselves, I do believe there are some common threads among people seeking this form of help. One such common thread is that a person has sought to grow psychologically in some way, and thus far has not been able to manage it alone, nor with their usual systems of support and guidance (including, perhaps, previous encounters with formal therapy). Many people make it to the office of a therapist or analyst knowing on some level that something is “off,” that there is pain and suffering that may feel unremitting or at least doesn’t seem to be transforming into something useful. They are a bit (or much more than a bit) at a loss of what to do next. In my view and that of contemporary psychoanalytic thought, what often blocks a person from healing and growing is, indeed, that which evades their usual consciousness; that which is on the fringes of, or sometimes completely outside of, standard and well-worn routes of thinking and feeling. In itself, it can feel disturbing to sense the unconscious basis of some suffering. But such painful places can also be liberated when brought to light. This process is based in an ongoing, earnest commitment and partnership on behalf of patient and therapist, a catalyst for ongoing transformation.

• Grief and loss
• Anxiety
• Relationship issues
• Depression
• Trauma & PTSD
• Work/life balance
• Moral injury
• Adjustment issues
• Identity issues
• Obsessions and compulsions (including OCD)
• Meaning of life issues
• Damaging habits (including some addictive behaviors)
• Medically unexplained symptoms
• Narcissism

I’m fully licensed in Washington State and Washington, DC to conduct psychotherapy, and I have many thousands of hours of professional experience. I currently practice out of my private office in Seattle, Washington. My graduate training was completed at the University Of Chicago where, in addition to my masters degree in social work, I earned two additional certificates in programs of study. During that time I completed my field work in a community mental health clinic, which gave me invaluable experience in working with a highly diverse, urban population frequently suffering with multiple bio-psycho-social stressors on top of often severe mental and emotional suffering as a result of particularly complex childhood and adult trauma histories. Upon receiving my graduate degree I was accepted into a full-time fellowship at the VA Puget Sound, working to provide for veterans from multiple combat eras individual and group psychotherapy, care coordination, and program development. Once again, my work centered around helping suffering people to see what still may be possible in the midst of sometimes great life struggles. After the fellowship I was hired on as a full-time, permanent VA employee, carrying on much of my previous work in a more long-term role, while serving another highly diverse population, that included patients who had served combat tours, and very often, also struggled with effects of difficult early beginnings in their life. Wishing to have greater control of my work, and to serve a smaller number of people but at greater depth, I went from the VA hospital into private practice, which is what I now do full-time, and how I expect to spend the remainder of my career. Many of my current patients are working professionals, parents, and students. I also continue to work with military veterans and their families. My patients vary with regard to race, ethnicity, sex, gender, sexual orientation, and abilities.

Analytic candidate, Northwest Psychoanalytic Society & Institute (NPSI)

Master's of Arts, Social Work (AM/MSW), University Of Chicago

Credential of Readiness, HBX- Harvard Business School

Fellowship, Centers For Excellence In Substance Abuse Treatment and Education, VA Puget Sound

Evidence Based Practice Program of Study, University of Chicago

Advanced Training for Addictions Counselors Program of Study, University Of Chicago

Bachelors of Arts (BA), University Of Colorado

Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) , # LW60654067, State of Washington

Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker (LICSW), #LC200001688, District of Columbia (DC)

My standard fee for individual therapy is $140 per 50 minute session. I offer a limited number of sliding scale slots for those who cannot afford my full fee. Group and organization level consultation fees are determined based on the scope of the work involved. If you have questions about this, I'd be glad to discuss my fees and billing practices further.

Payment is by cash or check.

To protect patient privacy and to solidify the partnership as being one solely between my patient and me, I have chosen to not contract directly with insurance. This means that patients pay me directly each month. Depending on one's insurance, their plan may allow for submitting receipts for out-of-network coverage, in which case insurance may reimburse a patient directly for some of the costs. These details are further laid out in my consent form. This of course can also be discussed further.