About Therapy
Do you do telehealth?
Yes. I am licensed in CT, NY and FL (telehealth only). I currently do teletherapy with clients from all 3 states via a secure, HIPAA compliant platform. It has become a very popular option.
What happens once we make contact?
I will meet with you for one or two evaluation sessions. We will discuss your specific concerns, background, and history. For example, we will discuss when your issue started, what methods you have attempted to make changes, and what factors helped or interfered with achieving success.
Do you use evidence-based treatments (EBTs)?
Yes, I have an evidence-based practice. This means I only use psychotherapies with strong scientific evidence supporting their effectiveness. EBTs are listed as “best practice” approaches by the American Psychological Association.
What type of psychotherapy do you use with adults?
Among the most common psychotherapies I use are:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
CBT effectively addresses a wide variety of health behaviors, medical conditions, and emotional issues. CBT is based on the premise that thoughts (cognitions), behaviors and feelings closely influence each other.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
ACT is effective for anxiety, depression, and self-harming behaviors. ACT combines the ideas of CBT with elements of mindfulness, and focuses on accepting and dealing with difficult emotions and situations.
Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)
IPT is most often used to treat depression, but can also be helpful for treating other mental health conditions. This therapy focuses on the relationships a person has with others, with the goal of improving a client’s interpersonal skills.
How do you know which therapy type is right for me?
The choice is customized to your specific issues, age, background, personality, and coping style. Every person and situation is unique. Based on many years of experience, I know how to achieve the best fit for you.
How long will therapy take?
The short answer is 12-16 weeks for many clients. However, the course of therapy varies greatly— some behaviors are easier to change than others.
Once the assessment is complete, we will set goals, and I will provide a plan with an estimated time horizon. I only use research-supported therapies which are not intended to last indefinitely.
How will I know if therapy is working?
We will regularly check on progress and goals. Clients seek therapy when their difficulties interfere with their work, health, academics, and relationships. One way to know if therapy is working is by seeing obvious change in those areas, and we will track your progress together. As your thoughts, behaviors, and feelings change over time, your ability to cope with health problems and emotional issues will improve, and this will become evident to you as therapy progresses.
Have you worked with people with similar issues as mine?
Every client and set of circumstances is different, so there are no guarantees. However, as a clinician with over 20 years of broad, high caliber experiences with adults, children and teens to draw from, chances are that I have helped others facing similar challenges. I also maintain collaborations with exceptional colleagues in the fields of health, sport, pediatric and adolescent psychology, and can rely upon their expertise as necessary so that I may provide you with the highest possible level of care.
Do you accept health insurance?
Catalyst is considered an out-of-network mental health provider for most health insurance companies. This means they will partially reimburse you; how much is dependent on your policy benefits. Please inquire with your insurance carrier to learn more about your out-of-network benefits.
How much does treatment cost?
We will discuss fees once we make contact. You will be informed of all fees prior to the start of treatment. My rates are consistent with other psychologists in my vicinity with my level of experience.
Therapy with Children and Teens
What kind of therapy do you use with older children and teenagers?
I only use psychotherapies backed by scientific research in children and adolescents. The most common therapies for this age group are:
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Individual
This type of CBT focuses solely on the child or adolescent. It effectively addresses a wide variety of health behaviors, medical conditions, and emotional issues. For example, it is one of the most common therapies for binge eating disorder and depression in older children and teens. It emphasizes emotional coping and learning problem solving skills to overcome challenges.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CT) with Parents
This type of CBT is an effective treatment for anxiety in older children and teens. In this type of CBT, parents are directly involved in their children’s care. It teaches parents techniques to manage anxiety, and may include psychoeducation, individual therapy, caregiver coping, and parent training techniques.
Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT)
IPT is an effective treatment for adolescent depression. It addresses developmental issues most common to teenagers and helps teens identify and develop more adaptive ways of dealing with the interpersonal (relationship) issues associated with their depression.
Family-Based Behavioral Treatment (FBT)
FBT is effective for weight loss and eating issues in older children and teens. In FBT, parents set a positive example by changing their own health behaviors, which in turn models positive behaviors change for their children.
Motivational Interviewing (MI)
MI is effective in managing an adolescent’s reluctance or ambivalence to acknowledge existing problems. By focusing on empathy, self-efficacy, and optimism, the goal of this therapy is to increase a teen’s internal motivation to change.
Should I be part of my child or teen’s therapy?
This depends on your child’s age and specific issues. Research has demonstrated that with older children and adolescents, privacy between the client and therapist is a key element in the development of trust. For younger children, supportive parental involvement may be recommended to bring about behavioral change.
What can I do if my child is reluctant to begin therapy?
It is common for children to be fearful of therapy, and for adolescents to resist therapy. For older children, reassure them that therapy will provide a safe and nurturing space for them to talk about their concerns. For teens, try to discover the reasons for their ambivalence. They may feel embarrassed that they “need” therapy, hopeless that nothing will work, or anxious about having to talk about painful topics.
Reassure them that an experienced psychologist will be understanding of all of these feelings. Sometimes adolescents feel nothing needs to change, and so motivation itself can be a central issue. Try to talk to your teen honestly about your concerns, and remind them that a therapist can help them in the same way a tutor or coach can— to overcome challenges by learning new skills. It may seem scary, but with the right person, it need not be.
