Frequently Asked Questions

The style of therapy I practice is solution-focused, goal-directed, and tends to be shorter-term than others types of therapy. We focus more on solutions and less on the problems that brought you (or someone you care about) to therapy. This type of therapy is not only one of the leading schools of brief therapy, it has also become a major influence in such diverse fields as business, social policy, education, criminal justice services, child welfare, and domestic violence offenders treatment.

The approach I use is practical, goal-driven and emphasizes clear, concise, realistic goal achievement. I believe–and my training and experience support—that: 1. all clients have some knowledge of what would make their life better, even though they may need some (at times, considerable) help describing the details of their better life; and that 2. everyone who seeks help already possesses at least the minimal skills necessary to create solutions.

I am happy to speak with you by phone for an initial consultation (at no charge to you) to determine if my approach and your goals are conducive to achieving results in a short time period.

A bit about my approach to marriage/family therapy: According to a recent article in The New York Times (Weil, Elizabeth, “Does Couples Therapy Work?” Published March 2, 2012), “It’s widely acknowledged that couples therapy is the most challenging,” says Richard Simon, editor of The Psychotherapy Networker. The article states that, “Part of the problem is that the kind of person who tends to become a therapist — empathic, sensitive, calm, accepting — is generally not the kind of person who is a good couples therapist.“ Says Terry Real, a licensed independent clinical social worker, “The traditional, passive uh-huh, uh-huh is useless. You have to like action. To manage marital combat, a therapist needs to get in there, mix it up with the client, be a ninja. This is intimidating.”

I seek clients who seek solutions and are open to the possibility that there may be a lot more that is right with their relationship than wrong. Finding solutions does not have to be hard or full of sacrifice—solutions are the result of thoughtful decisions that make for more balanced, peaceful outcomes.