How I Work

One of my most important tasks as a therapist is to grasp my patients’ unique perspectives on their lives. How do they view their personal history, their family of origin, and their culture? How do they experience their current situation? I listen for answers to these questions with an attitude of acceptance.

Second, I work with patients to help them situate their present struggles in the context of their life history. All of us began life as children, adapting to the demands of the adults who looked after us, and taking our bearings on the world from these same adults. How do these early experiences affect us now? I find it can be liberating for patients when we think about this question together.

Throughout the course of treatment, I aim to join my patients in an exploration of their past and present and the connections between the two. Rather than pronounce definitive answers, I remain curious, open, and engaged with my patients, who are, of course, the ultimate authorities on their own lives. I view myself as their partner in a joint and progressive effort to make sense of their struggles and ultimately transcend them.