Photo: Egami Obscura
I am a psychotherapist certified in both cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) and psychoanalysis. In addition, I also have a PhD in Anthropology. The side of me that is action-oriented, and wants to jump in, help out, and fix things is my CBT side. The other side likes to take things slowly and allow a deeper process to unfold — working with dreams, summoning intergenerational “ghosts,” looking at how entrenched patterns develop in our lives and repeat in our relationships. That is the psychoanalytic side. The anthropological me thinks closely about how people’s lives and dilemmas are situated in their specific socio-cultural circumstances, and that adds another dimension to the way I practice psychotherapy. We are all bombarded by contradictory messages about how and who we ought to be. In this city, for example, no matter how good looking, successful, wealthy, and accomplished we are, most of us run around comparing ourselves with others, and trying to keep up with ever-escalating expectations. The result is that too often even our greatest accomplishments leave us feeling depleted and empty.
I bring these three points of view to my psychotherapeutic practice, blending them according to my client’s personality, and what he or she is looking for in our work. Especially when people have been disappointed in conventional psychotherapy, it is often useful to separate the problems that are “all in their heads” from the societal burdens that leave them feeling ashamed, depressed, unmotivated, or helpless.
Obviously, psychotherapy cannot resolve the great world issues that drive people crazy. But with the right therapist, people can find ways to deal with their own psychological issues, and also find ways to cope with a sometimes oppressive social environment. That is the approach that I offer my clients.