Individual Psychotherapy
Dr. Gould, Licensed Psychologist
Therapy for Individuals
Is your past getting in the way of your now?
Carl Yung, a famous 19th century psychoanalyst stated: “Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life, and you will call it fate.” Many people who have experienced trauma tend to engage in repetition compulsion, which is the unconscious tendency to repeat past, often traumatic experiences in an attempt to master them. The familiar can feel safe and predictable, even if it is unhealthy. Psychotherapy can help you to uncover the roots of your trauma, understand how past trauma influences your current behaviors and relationships, and to develop new narratives and ways of relating to yourself and others. Breaking the patterns that keep you bound to your past can help to alleviate symptoms of depression and anxiety in the here and now and provide an opportunity for you to create a life with hope, purpose, and fulfillment.
A Word on Psychodynamic Therapy
In analytic/psychodynamic theory, transference is the unconscious redirection of feelings and expectations from past significant relationships onto a person in your present. During the therapy process, this person can be your therapist. Exploring this transference can help you gain insights into how your past experiences impact your current relationships. Gaining these insights can also strengthen your relationship with your therapist which can assist in moving the therapy forward to more in-depth analysis.
Countertransference is your therapist’s reaction to you at any given time. These reactions may help you and your therapist to explore how you may impact others in your life. When your therapist can successfully manage the dynamics that may arise, it can allow you to have a “corrective emotional experience” in a safe environment that may not have been available to you in the past. You can take these new insights with you into all of your relationships.
Therapeutic Modalities I Use
My approach to individual psychotherapy uses a blend of psychodynamic therapy with family systems and mindfulness theory.
Psychodynamic Therapy Talk therapy that can help you understand how unconscious thoughts and past experiences influence your current behavior, emotions, and relationships. This therapy can help you to make lasting changes in your inner world and your interpersonal world.
Family Systems Therapy Psychotherapy with families that focuses on patterns of interactions and dynamics that cause distress to individual family members and to the system as a whole. It can be applied to individual therapy by focusing on your relationships with family members and how these relationships impact you. Adding the psychodynamic lens can assist with the exploration of intergenerational transmission of trauma and ways that you may be stuck in patterns of repeating cycles.
Mindfulness Mindfulness theory and practice is helpful to add to the depth work of analytic therapy. Learning how to be still in the moment can help you tap into your feelings as well as to explore your relationship with the therapist in sessions. In addition, mindfulness can help you be present in your day-to-day life so that you don’t miss out on the beauty that is present all around you!
How Therapy Can Support Your Healing Journey
My clients report:
Decrease in symptoms of anxiety and depression
Improved self-awareness
Greater self-confidence
Understanding the influence of the past on the present and being able to make meaningful decisions for their future
Improved relationships
A greater sense of purpose
Increased ability to cope effectively with the daily demands of life
Credentials:
• Licensed Psychologist – PennsylvaniaEducation:
• Doctor of Psychology, Clinical Psychology – Chestnut Hill College• Post-Masters, Eco-Systemic Structural Family Therapy – Philadelphia Child and Family Therapy Training Center• Master of Education, Counseling Psychology – Temple University• Bachelor of Science, Therapeutic Recreation – Temple UniversityProfessional Associations and Certifications:
• Member – Pennsylvania Psychological Association• American Association of Suicidology – College/University Suicide Prevention Specialist• Certified Question, Persuade, Refer (QPR) Trainer