During our initial consultation, I will ask you about yourself and your reasons for seeking therapy; and you will begin to have a sample of the manner in which I proceed. I will ask you many questions in the service of trying to understand more clearly what you are saying and feeling. I will begin to construct some thoughts about possible connections between the present and the past. Although our time for this introductory phase is limited, we will do our best to review your needs, your priorities and your goals, seeking to determine whether or not psychotherapy is the treatment of choice for you. Feel free during this time to ask about my professional credentials and any other questions you may have, including inquiries about alternative treatment options and the use of medication.

I will be respectful of your wishes, your schedule, and your financial reality. You may be looking for a short-term, focused examination of a specific problem. Or, you may be seeking a more in-depth exploration of dissatisfactions with yourself, feeling you are not living up to your potential. The desire for help may arise from internal struggles, or an external predicament. It may also concern past experiences which continue to effect the present. I am particularly attuned to the ways in which the impact of early childhood trauma, be it sexual or psychological, may lead to difficulties with trust and intimacy at a much later time in the life cycle.

If we decide to continue working together, I will recommend a treatment plan. This will usually involve meeting once or twice weekly for 50 minute sessions. By the end of our consultation period, which could last more than this single session, you will be informed about my policies, my fees, and my responsibilities to you.

My fees are comparable to those of other clinicians at my level of training in New York City. In certain situations, I am willing to conduct some sessions by phone. Email is not a secure medium and so I do not use it.

Psychotherapy in a private practice setting is costly; however, it is hard to assign a monetary value to something which holds the potential to transform the quality of your life.

15 West 72nd Street • Suite L-B • New York, New York 10023 • (212) 873-1414