I believe that choosing a psychotherapist is a very important decision, and that it is essential for the client to find someone they feel has the best interpersonal style and training to work with them. When possible, I encourage potential therapy clients to meet with, or at least interview by phone, several different therapists before choosing the one they will work with. This is important because the quality of the therapist-client relationship is critical to the effectiveness of psychotherapy.
My style is active and engaged, employing interpretation (connecting feelings, thoughts, and behaviors to past and current events), confrontation (pointing out discrepancies between the client's goals and their actions), and education (recommending books, giving homework, or explaining relevant research findings). I encourage the client to keep me informed about how they are reacting to the therapy process so that we can work collaboratively to proceed in the desired direction. At times, psychotherapy can be difficult, even painful, work; thus, it is crucial that the client feels that there is an open relationship where concerns can be addressed. Ultimately, the goal of all therapy is to improve the quality of interpersonal relationships, increase the capacity to be productive in daily life, enhance self-care, and heighten the ability to make choices that lead to increased satisfaction in life.