My psychotherapy practice is focused on working with individuals, one on one. When the situation calls for it, I may suggest that we bring in family members to address, for example, relationship issues, or how to deal with a family problem. I have considerable (40 years) experience working with late adulthood problems (geriatric psychology). I am also interested in emerging adulthood and midlife issues (Please see my article, “Stages of Adulthood”). Currently, I conduct a monthly group for people who are caregivers of a loved one with dementia.
What Happens at the First Appointment?
The first appointment involves an assessment of the problems that brought you to consider psychotherapy. Psychologists are trained to consider each person in terms of the context of one’s life, history, goals, and health. Accordingly, I will be discussing with you how your difficulties are interfering with your life, your relationships, and your life goals, and what you’ve done to try to solve them on your own. I will inquire about your past history to get a sense of where you come from and identify strengths that we can build on. My inquiry will also include health issues since pain and the limitations that may emerge from health problems can cause emotional (as well as physical) suffering. Attending to one’s physical well being, especially in these circumstances, can direct attention to defining new ways of caring for oneself.
Once the assessment is completed, the next step is to decide if we will work together effectively. What this means for you is to see how well we communicate, whether you sense that I grasp what you’re experiencing, and whether my approach fits with your needs and resources. The key to a successful psychotherapy is our ability to work collaboratively.
I utilize a variety of therapeutic approaches (for example: psychodynamic, interpersonal, & cognitive-behavioral), depending on the person, the particular issues presented, and what I think will be most effective.
In my work as a psychotherapist, I have found whatever approach I use it always includes a particular way of thinking about people and change:
My Approach to Psychotherapy
Whether people are struggling with life transitions, depression, or an inability to motivate themselves toward important goals, what each has in common is a sense of being stuck or uncertain, at a loss as to how to regain that sense of balance that life can have. Many times that sense of being out of balance reflects problems with self-control, i.e. resisting temptations and persisting through difficult times while caring for oneself.
My approach is to work collaboratively with you to develop ways you can improve your care for yourself, your relationships, and your sense of optimism and hope. Developing insight into your way of experiencing the stresses of life helps you to discover more effective and creative ways of adapting to your life circumstances. Identifying strengths and learning new skills empowers you to feel more successful in meeting your responsibilities to yourself, your loved ones, and your work. In other words, my approach to psychotherapy is not only about modifying self-defeating patterns: Ultimately, it involves the understanding and promotion of emotional, behavioral, and cognitive health. In this sense, it is a form of Positive Psychology.
Continue reading: My Approach to Psychotherapy
If you find that my perspective on psychotherapy makes sense to you, and you are considering psychotherapy, send me an email or give me a call and we can schedule an appointment.
Contact Houston Psychologist Dr. Reichlin
