Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How long will therapy last?

My hope is that an individual will feel relief from their discomfort as quickly as possible.  However, it is not possible to put a specific time frame on this issue because every individual is different, and everyone’s psychotherapeutic needs and desires are different.  I tailor treatment to the needs and desires of each client; and the decision about how long to stay in treatment is ultimately up to the client and/or his or her parents.

With that said, it is worthwhile to note that some individuals with whom I work feel that they experience sufficient benefit from one session; others feel that they continue to derive a benefit from therapy for several years.

Please keep in mind that when you decide to make the first appointment you are not committing yourself to a whole course of therapy.  It can be intimidating to think that the first appointment has to be the first of many.  You might feel better to look at it as making just one appointment for just one consultation; and then you can take it from there. 

Do you take insurance?

I am not on any health insurance panels. However, many individuals have out-of-network benefits (meaning they receive a reimbursement even if the provider is not on their panel). If you have this benefit (which you can find out about by calling your insurance company), I would be happy to help you with the paperwork involved in being able to collect your reimbursement.

How do you work with children?

My approach to working with both children and adults involves an eclectic, or integrationist, model.  That is, I utilize aspects of a variety of theoretical orientations, including behavioral, cognitive-behavioral, family systems and psychodynamic.

With children, this translates into the use of talk therapy, play therapy, family therapy and parent counseling.  Each child and each family is unique, so the particular combination of these therapeutic formats depends on the particular needs of each family.

Many parents find it difficult to have their child or adolescent see a therapist, and one reason for this is their concern that they won’t know what is going on in the therapy.  You can rest assured that I generally work with the parents and/or guardians of the children I treat.  They are not kept in the dark about their son’s or daughter’s therapy.  While legal, ethical and clinical considerations require a certain respect for confidentiality, there is ordinarily a place for the involvement of the parents, and I typically involve them to the extent and in the manner in which the child or adolescent’s problems and treatment deem appropriate.

How do you work with adults?

Once again, my approach is eclectic, drawing from a variety of theoretical orientations and therapeutic strategies.  I work with individuals as well as couples.  On occasion, some clients will discuss with me problems involving intimacy and sexuality, and, when appropriate, I will offer them sex therapy.  The sex therapy involves talk therapy, often with recommendations for the client or couple to explore certain behavioral programs in the privacy of their home.  I have had advanced training in sex therapy, and I have been certified as a sex therapist by the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists.

Do you give medication to your patients?

At this time, psychologists in New York State are not licensed to prescribe medicine.  However, as is the case with other therapists in the community, many of my clients take medicine.  Their medications are prescribed by psychiatrists, internists, pediatricians, gynecologists, and other properly licensed medical professionals.  While I neither prescribe medicine nor offer medical advice, I will discuss issues pertaining to medication consultations, and I can assist clients in locating proper medical professionals when they decide that they’d like to pursue a medication consultation.