My practice specializes in the cognitive-behavioral treatment of children, adolescents, and adults. During my graduate and post-graduate education, I was fortunate to be trained in the practice of cognitive-behavior therapy by world renown, leading experts in this field.
I am known internationally for my expertise in the assessment, diagnosis, and cognitive-behavioral treatment of children, adolescents, and adults with anxiety and anxiety-related disorders (see My Credentials), including:
- Phobias
- Panic Attacks
- Agoraphobia
- Social Anxiety
- Performance Anxiety
- Generalized Anxiety Disorder
- Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
- Trichotillomania (hair pulling)
- Skin Picking
- Hoarding
- Body Dysmorphic Disorder
- Tics
- Post Traumatic Stress Disorder
- Separation Anxiety
- Selective Mutism
- School Phobia
Anxiety disorders often cooccur with mood disorders, including bipolar and bipolar spectrum disorders. My work with adults with bipolar disorder, and the partners, family members, and other loved ones of those who have this illness, has spanned beyond my practice, throughout the United States and across the world, using videoconferencing technology. Bipolar and bipolar spectrum disorders include:
- Bipolar Disorder I
- Bipolar Disorder II
- Cyclothymic Disorder
- Seasonal Affective Disorder
I am one of few psychologists who have expertise in the psychological treatment of bipolar disorder, using cognitive-behavioral techniques scientifically proven to be effective. My work with partners and family members of people suffering from bipolar disorder is sometimes conducted in conjunction with treating the bipolar patient. In other cases, I work with the partner or family member alone, providing guidance on how best to help their loved one, and often offering support to the "caregivers" themselves. My book, When Someone You Love Is Bipolar (see Books), was written especially for the significant others of people who have bipolar disorder.
Many of my patients have problems with overeating, using food as an unhealthy "coping" strategy. Just like in substance use disorders- drugs, alcohol- the behavior often is used to self-medicate a psychiatric/psychological disorder but them becomes a problem in its own right. My book, The 5 Reasons Why We Overeat, outlines my psychological, cognitive-behavioral, treatment plan to eliminate overeating. In addition to overeating, I treat eating disorders including:
- Anorexia
- Bulimia
- Binge Eating Disorder
- Overeating associated with excess weight and/or obesity
Additional services include:
- Couples and Family Therapy
- Diagnostic Evaluations
- Consultations
- Second Opinions for more complex or treatment resistant cases
All of the treatment techniques I utilize in therapy are rooted in science. In other words, they have been scientifically proven to work. Analysis of thousands of research studies conducted over the past century have clearly shown that psychoanalysis and traditional psychotherapy, where the focus is on examining the past in great detail, are not effective. People simply do not get better when the emphasis of therapy is on "insight." Cognitive-behavior therapy, where the focus is on changing maladaptive thoughts, beliefs, and behavior, has been proven extremely successful. That is why my practice is based exclusively on this treatment approach.
I pride myself on individualizing treatment plans (all based on my cognitive-behavioral orientation), rather than using a "cookie cutter" or strictly manualized approach to treatment. My individualized approach is unique to each patient but also is "global" in that all possible factors additional to psychological (e.g., medical, societal, familial) are examined to determine whether they may be contributing to the problem the patient is seeking treatment for.