AREAS OF FOCUS
ADDICTIVE BEHAVIORS
Can I Control This...??
I work with people who are struggling with all sorts of addictions: alcohol, chemical, sexual, gambling, and others. If you find yourself grappling with addictive behavior that is controlling your life, therapy could help.
The therapeutic model I generally work from is referred to as "Harm Reduction." Often it is very difficult to stop the addictive behavior immediately. We work together to steadily reduce the harm the dependency is generating in your life. Gradually we can reduce the dependency and, hopefully, get you to a point where you're able to stop altogether.
While stopping addictive behavior is a critical first step, maladaptive thinking and emotions may remain. Further therapeutic progress can be made by addressing difficult emotions that gave rise to the addictive behavior in the first place, and that may surface now that old coping methods are gone. Similarly, it is important to address any form of addictive thinking that may still be present, and introduce healthier, more adaptive ways of facing day-to-day challenges.
MEN'S ISSUES
Finding Our Way Home...
For most of us as men, it usually takes us until we're in a crisis to be able to say we need help. We've arrived at a point in life where we thought we'd be happy, but we're not; our relationships are strained; we're abusing a substance; the stress level at work is becoming unmanageable; or, perhaps, we're just feeling disconnected from the rest of the world and not clear how to reconnect. Often we wait too long to address these issues, if we ever address them at all. Acknowledging we need help may feel like a loss of control, but therapy can be a key step to gaining insight into why we may be stuck in a difficult place with no exit in sight. It can be a path out of the wilderness -- a vehicle to understanding ourselves in a way we may have only previously glimpsed.
TRAUMA RECOVERY
Leaving the Dark Behind....
Seeing your way out of a dark past back into the light can be a long and difficult process, but one well worth the effort. Sometimes, in order to defend ourselves, we've had to split off essential parts of our psyches to keep them from being damaged. If you have been the victim of abuse -- physical, sexual, emotional, spiritual -- please know that I can help you retrieve lost aspects of your true self that may have gone into hiding long ago. I'd like to help you move out of a traumatic history and identity toward healing and new life.
MOOD AND ANXIETY ISSUES
Retrieving the Lost Self.....
Many of us have had to leave essential parts of our unique selves behind to fit some construct that may have little to do with who we truly are. That can block access to our innate self -- and diminish trust in our own intuitive instincts. Such a lack of connectedness can be a significant contributor to mood disorders. I enjoy helping people reintegrate those lost aspects of themselves through our work together, catalyzing new and more vital ways of being in the world.
Life structure itself can be disabling. Today's economy and pace of work can place enormous stressors on our psyches and personal relationships. I see clients who are experiencing work-related anxiety or depression, or who may not know how to proceed with a significant partner or an intimate relationship.
RELATIONSHIP ISSUES
Journeying Together....
Attempting to walk the same path with an intimate partner can be one of the most challenging and rewarding things we do in life. In a conscious, informed relationship, we honor the individuality of the other, attempt to understand the dynamic we co-create together and seek growth both individually and as a couple. Effective communication is essential to that ongoing growth. Entering into honest diaglogue with one another allows us to get our needs met, while also actively listening and attending to the needs of the other. Our ability to carry on a trusting dialogue can make all the difference between a healthy, vital relationship -- or one that languishes on the vine. Most of us have significant deficits in the skills mentioned above. Acquiring, improving, and implementing relational skills can benefit both you and the people around you immensely.
