Too often our difficulties are a “Catch-22”—familiar circumstances evoke our typical ways of responding, leading us to behaviors that keep us in unsatisfactory relationships and circumstances. As your therapist, I aim to help you understand your current problems in the context of your unique life experiences, encouraging you to develop insight into how these issues developed and what is keeping you feeling stuck. I favor working from a relational, psychodynamic perspective, which means I try and help you break out of distressing patterns by facilitating conversations about your early life experiences; thoughts and feelings (and what you may be preventing yourself from feeling); self-image; and interpersonal relationships (past and present). Although my primary therapeutic orientation is psychodynamic, I integrate techniques from other clinical perspectives including cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and humanistic, especially when I believe these tools will complement our exploratory work. I aim to create a safe environment where we can work collaboratively so you can use what you are learning about yourself to live a life of authenticity and personal fulfillment.
I specialize in working with relationship and couple/marital issues and utilize individual, couples, and group psychotherapy (often in combination) when addressing these concerns. I am adept at working with adult and adolescent clients presenting with a wide array of therapeutic concerns including mood and anxiety symptoms/disorders; relationship difficulties; sexual issues; low self-esteem; identity questions; substance use problems; legal issues; and LGBTQ concerns.
In addition to my work at Dodini Behavioral Health, I hold an adjunct clinical faculty position at the George Washington University Professional Psychology Program, where I supervise doctoral students learning to conduct individual/group psychotherapy and psychological assessment. As a clinical supervisor, I also supervise a co-therapy team running a therapeutic process group for gay men in the DC area.
EDUCATION
Postdoctoral Fellowship in Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, The George Washington University (2013-2015)
Scholars Program, Section VIII: Psychoanalysis with Couples and Family Therapy (2014-2015)
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
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