When previous therapy has not helped
It can be discouraging to invest time and trust in therapy and come away feeling unchanged. Some people have even felt worse. That does not mean they failed or that their difficulties are beyond understanding. It does mean we should look carefully at what happened and what this work needs to do differently.
We begin by getting specific. What keeps repeating? When does it happen? What has helped, even briefly? What felt missing, overwhelming, or unhelpful in previous treatment? Those answers shape the work rather than being set aside.
Psychodynamic understanding
Psychodynamic therapy helps us look beneath the immediate symptom. Early experiences, relationships, expectations, and ways of protecting oneself can continue to shape what feels possible in the present. We explore those patterns together, including how they show up in relationships and sometimes in the therapy itself.
ACT and present-day change
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, or ACT, helps us notice the ways we get caught by thoughts, emotions, and avoidance. The aim is not to force unwanted experiences away. It is to relate to them differently and take actions guided by values, even when life remains difficult.
How I combine them
Understanding how a pattern formed can make it less mysterious. Practicing a different response can make that understanding useful. I move between depth and action according to what the person needs: slowing down to understand, naming what is happening now, and trying a more flexible response outside the room.
My work is collaborative and tailored to the person. I draw on additional evidence-based approaches when appropriate, and I revisit the plan with you if it is not helping.
Areas of experience
I work with adolescents and adults, including people dealing with recurring relationship problems, anger, substance use, emotional regulation, difficult transitions, and high-pressure roles. I also have experience with complex behavioral presentations and psychological assessment.
To ask about therapy or testing, visit my clinical practice profile. That page has the current details for contacting the practice.