Finding the right psychologist can be difficult. Here is a guide to finding the right psychologist for you.

1. What is the difference between a therapist, a counselor, psychiatrist, and a psychologist? Basically, a therapist and a counselor only have a masters. A psychologist may have a masters, but they are only able to call themselves a psychologist if they also have a doctorate.

Psychologists have a doctorate specializing in talk-therapy (what I do). A psychologist is required to go to school for several years to understand and know the research behind therapy and then must go on to do thousands of hours of practice under supervision before being granted a doctorate. We spend many years being trained on the science and art of talk therapy and assessment.

A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who chose to specialize in the medical treatment of mental illness. They spent their schooling in medical school then went on to specialize in medical management of mental illness.

(I have a bachelors in psychology, a masters in counseling and a PhD in Counseling Psychology.)

2. How do I know which psychologist will be the right fit? I suggest you read the person's website and get a feel for who they are. If you are interested give them a call. Most psychologists want to consult with you prior to meeting with you. I consider it our responsibility to try and make sure we can provide you with the right level of care before we set our first session. As with any professional relationship, personalities matter. You will find you may feel more comfortable with one psychologist over another. I suggest you consult over the phone to get a feel for the person and then give it a few sessions to see if it feels like the right fit.

3. How long is therapy? In my experience, it depends on the concern and person. Some common concerns, like experiencing increased anxiety and symptoms of depression due to life problems, can take on average about 4-6 sessions to get resolved. Other concerns, such as changing an unhealthy communication style and low confidence level due to childhood trauma can take longer because feeling good requires creating healthy habits in many areas of one's life (i.e. relationship habits, work habits, sleep problems, etc.).

About Me

Being a psychologist is not just my job, it's my passion. I absolutely love being a psychologist. I consider it a privilege to sit with people in therapy. I am naturally empathetic towards others, but I do not feel sorry for clients. How do I know this? I do not see my clients as powerless victims, but rather I see them as having a moment of courageous struggle as they move on towards living their potential. In other words, I believe I see clients for who they are, not as being defined by their challenges. I see people's potential and use their strengths to move them toward living as the person they are meant to be.

The type of therapy I practice is based on building a strong therapeutic relationship based on trust, respect and challenge where we can work together to change the thoughts that are harming you, implement behavioral strategies to move you towards your goal, and develop a internal beliefs that fuel your joy and purpose. People can often be their worst critic, I work with clients to create a mental environment that is conducive to happiness and sense of purpose. Oh, and I use humor, we need humor for life survival.

I specialize in high-functioning clients who are balancing their personal and professional lives. My clients vary from career/family oriented working parents, PhDs to professional athletes. While they are high functioning they would like to improve some area of their life or improve their emotional/mental health in an effort to be happier with the life they have built. Some common concerns are symptoms of depression or anxiety, relationship problems or a desire respond differently to life problem.