General FAQs

Personal FAQs
Practice FAQs
- coming soon

Personal FAQs

Have you done your own therapy?

Yes! I’m a very happy consumer with near-continuous engagement over the past ten years. Doing my own therapy has given me an appreciation for the very strange experience of seeking help of this kind (why I aim to make meeting as natural as possible) as well as the very powerful opportunities of finding good help (why I keep such a focus on being helpful).

Are some people incapable of change?

No. I am a fervent optimist in the potential for improvement. That said, I value personal fulfillment over happiness, believe some aspects of our personality are harder to change, and respect that there are natural limits on how fast we may evolve. Ultimately, however, we’re working with your beliefs and expectations!

Will you be a “blank screen?”

No. The idea of a blank screen - that a therapist remains studiously quiet outside a seldom interpretation on your anxiety - is an antiquated one. I aim to be fully engaged in the conversation and would want you to feel that. Should you feel anxious with normal moments of quiet, though, I think this would be valuable to explore.

What is your stance on religion?

This is a complex question. I think belief systems are critical. I think faith communities are powerful environments for nourishing our development. And, I count myself an active practitioner in the Episcopal tradition. I also believe that there’s room in this world for many traditions, including those who have moved away from or beyond the tradition they may have been raised in.

What do you think about medication?

I think medication is a highly individual decision and one well-considered with the aid of a physician, where medication is being considered. I’ve seen that medication has been helpful in some cases and less helpful or even counterproductive in others. I’ve been off and on a psychotropic in my past but take nothing currently.