Liberty Psychological Services

Psychodynamic means I care about your whole psyche, not just your symptoms. Symptoms are solutions that no longer work. But, what are they trying to solve? Only when this is answered and addressed do the symptoms really go away. Have you had enough quick fixes, and enough targeting of symptoms? Don't fear depth; get curious about your mind.

Our goal is to understand you better. Attending to your relational history and your current style of relating helps us do this. Our lives hinge on relationships, and on safety within those relationships. We avoid the angst that comes with the daily threat of separation and loss. By avoiding, however, we lose parts of ourselves as we slip in and out of various self-states that seem safe but that don't represent the whole, honest you. Through our relationship, we can recover and feel those lost parts, and welcome them back into your life. Doing this in the safety of our therapeutic bond can have a lasting impact.

When we're together, you can let your thoughts and feelings unfold; I rarely target specific symptoms or tell you what to talk about. You share what comes to mind. Through this process, I can feel what it's like to know you. Regular, attuned therapy is intimate; you develop feelings and reactions to me, and I to you. Thus, the therapeutic fit is crucial. You are encouraged to share your reactions with me. I offer you feedback about what it’s like to be with you, to know you, and to witness your defensive maneuvers in action.

I'll help you notice how you try to defend yourself against the threats of pain and loss. This process hits at a deep, relational level, which means its effects have staying power. I'll offer a brand of attentiveness and feedback that reveal the self-states into which you retreat as you attempt to protect yourself. When we examine these, we see defenses, but we also see what you can become; we see potential. We realize this potential only when we expose ourselves to the angst of not avoiding and not defending. At its best, this approach disentangles inner, relationship-fueled conflicts, allowing your newly disarmed symptoms to fade into the haze. 

The result: A freer life; one unencumbered by antiquated defenses for yesterday's threats. ​

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I am an active listener. I speak plenty, and I’ll offer guidance and structure, as needed. Nevertheless, my attunement to you is crucial. I dial in and hold your emotions, so you don’t get overwhelmed. It’s like gently holding you as we wade into deep water; I’ll only let go when I know you can swim.

Through the psychodynamic process, we learn how your past shaped your present, what it's like to know you and how you defend yourself from relational anxiety, and how, finally, you can live unencumbered.