Therapy


We all want to be happy, but at some point in our lives, we may feel stuck or face certain challenges. Getting support from somebody on the outside can help you understand more clearly what’s going on and create new ways to think about yourself and your relationships with others. By uncovering the obstacles holding you back, you can learn to make better choices, feel calmer and more optimistic, turn goals into realities, discover fresh opportunities, and find a sense of peace in the day-to-day. In my practice, I see adults, children, adolescents, couples, and families, and here’s a little bit about how I work:

Helping You Now

Your problems affect you today and you want things to change, so I work in the here-and-now with a solution-based focus. Your past will come up (I’m a therapist, after all), but I don’t believe that spending years on the couch talking about Mom or Dad will necessarily help you to become happier or more hopeful. Instead I take a creative and practical approach that allows you to understand more quickly what drives you and restricts you, and to identify new and better ways of being. The idea isn’t to get bogged down in analysis, but to simplify your life and quiet the “noise” that distracts you, so you can focus your energy on what’s meaningful, productive and fulfilling.

A Unique Approach

Therapy should be as unique you are. We don’t drive the same cars or order the same coffee at Starbucks, so why should your treatment be exactly the same as somebody else’s?  While struggle is universal, people respond differently to different types of interventions, so I always tailor your treatment to respond to your specific needs, personality, situation, relationship, family makeup, and comfort level.  Because the answer isn’t the same for everyone, we won’t look for “the” answer, but the answer that works best for you.  Not your best friend, spouse, neighbor, or the person you envy on Facebook.  You’re here to get to know yourself better.  Prepare to be pleasantly surprised.

Make Lasting Changes

It’s great to have those “aha” moments in our sessions, and even better to put them into practice. I want you to feel good not just during our work together, but also when our work is done.  Effective therapy means that you’re applying the insights you’ve gained and the changes you’ve made to other areas of your life.  My goal is to leave you with strategies, communication skills, and ways of thinking that can be transferred from the safety of the consultation room to the world outside – to parenting, friendships, romantic relationships, family dynamics, the workplace, and those moments at 3 a.m. when you can’t fall back asleep.  Research shows that cultivating these skills helps people manage challenges and anxiety more easily and thrive in all areas of their lives.  If you felt “stuck” when you first came in, I will help you to leave with change that “sticks.”

I help people with a variety of issues, and I have particular expertise in:

  • Parenting Solutions
  • Couples Counseling
  • Overcoming Creative and Emotional Blocks
  • Infertility, Post-Partum Adjustment and Third-Party Family Building
  • Same-Sex and Single Parent Families
  • Eating Disorders and Body Image Issues
  • Relationship Issues
  • Career and Life Transitions
  • Child and Adolescent Therapy
  • School Consultation
  • Autism Spectrum Disorder
  • Life Balance and Stress Management
  • Divorce, Co-parenting and Blended Families
  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • OCD

Are you ready for a change?  Setting up your first appointment is easy.  Just call (310) 853-3567 or simply fill out this form and I’ll contact you as soon as possible.

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Wonder what a therapist might think of you? Read Dr. Stephanie Smith’s wonderful article here.