I firmly believe that all healing begins with the therapeutic relationship. Therefore, I strive to be present, warm, and authentic in all of my meetings. From our very first session, we will talk about your goals for therapy and highlight a treatment plan so you know what to expect. I believe flexibility is important, and throughout our work together we will check-in on your progress and goals in order make adjustments to our work as needed. When working with children or younger teens, caregivers and family often play an important role in the healing process. Therefore, within the first session or two, we will work together to clarify the extent of family involvement in your child or teen’s treatment plan.
Courage starts with showing up and letting ourselves be seen
-Brene Brown
While empathy and understanding are essential to building a safe and comfortable environment, both psychological research and my own clinical experience show that they are not quite enough. For long-lasting healing and growth to occur, it is essential to explore which aspects of our lives are keeping us stuck in unhealthy patterns and what actions we can take to create positive and meaningful change. For instance, this may include changing our roles and boundaries in relationships, exploring and working with distressing and unhealthy thinking patterns, or learning how to process uncomfortable and painful emotions in more effective ways.
As your therapist, it will be my privilege to join with you in this journey by providing gentle guidance and direction towards this enduring change. It is an incredibly empowering and strengths-based approach, as the insight you gain about yourself and the skills you learn along the way will be yours to keep for the rest of your life
Max Maisel, PhD & Associates 