I love my practice because I have the opportunity to work with people across the life span, from children to adults.  From a clinical perspective, my background in child and adolescent psychotherapy  enhances my work with adults.  Here are some of the reasons why.

Some of the adults I see in my practice have children – from youngsters to kids who are out on their own.  My understanding of the challenges kids face at different ages can be helpful to parents who want to improve relationships with their kids.  Others may be struggling to balance their own needs with the needs of their families.  While the children of my clients may not be in the office, at times I find myself trying to imagine what they need emotionally from their parents.  At the same time, I often remind parents that in order to take care of their children they must first take care of themselves.  That’s why airplane stewardesses remind parents to put the oxygen mask on themselves before assisting their youngsters.

Adults dealing with anxiety, depression, and relationship problems may benefit from exploring issues from their childhood and family life.  Unprocessed issues from the past can exert negative influences on our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.  Looking at past issues from the benefit of an adult perspective can help heal old wounds.  It can also help people to gain greater control over their emotions and to see that they have more choices in their lives.  Sometimes when people feel “stuck” they are replaying old patterns that are no longer effective in current situations.  This realization can pave the way to meaningful changes in how they relate to people and deal with challenges.

Not all adults need to or even want to delve into the past.  Many are able to make significant changes by developing new strategies to deal with current challenges.  I work with all my clients to find the approach that’s best for them to help reach their personal goals.