Common
questions

Most therapy today focuses on what is happening on the surface: the behavior, the thought, or the symptom. While that can offer temporary relief, a psychoanalytic approach asks why the symptom exists in the first place. We view anxiety or obsessions not as problems to be deleted, but as messages from the younger versions of yourself. By understanding the underlying structure of your personality and your history, we can achieve a type of freedom that coping skills simply cannot provide.

It's okay to be skeptical. Contemporary psychoanalysis has evolved significantly since the days of cigars and velvet couches. At its core, it simply means we are curious about what you don't yet know about yourself. It involves looking at your recurring patterns, your dreams, and even the here-and-now of our relationship to see how you move through the world. We'll also do plenty of processing of family dynamics to understand how your environment shaped you. We aren't just looking for insights. We are looking for a shift in how you experience your very existence.

Meaningful change is difficult and requires momentum. Meeting multiple times per week, often referred to as intensive work, allows us to go deeper than a standard weekly check-in. Research in neurobiology and psychotherapy suggests that increased frequency fosters a stronger therapeutic alliance and allows for a more continuous exploration of the mind. It prevents us from spending the whole hour just catching up, allowing us to stay with the deeper material that usually gets avoided.

I am an in-network provider for Aetna. For all other insurance carriers, I am considered an out-of-network provider. Many PPO plans offer out-of-network benefits that reimburse a significant portion of the cost. If you wish to utilize these benefits, I can provide you with a monthly superbill that you can submit to your insurance company for reimbursement. I recommend calling your provider beforehand to ask about your out-of-network mental health benefits.

Collaborative, honest, and straightforward. I'm here to guide the process, bring ideas to the table, and keep things moving.