Statement
As a group therapist I strive to create a safe atmosphere that encourages openness, a space where group members can learn and practice talking with one another honestly in order to better understand what gets in their way of having meaningful and intimate relationships. One frequent outcome of my groups is that members learn to more freely communicate their needs and express difficult feelings, which are typically silenced for fear of angering, disappointing or hurting others. We work on negotiating conflicts rather than avoiding them. We work on exploring difficult feelings, like anxiety, depression, frustration, boredom and shame, rather than turning them into destructive behaviors. Finding one’s authentic voice in relationships, that voice which may have been quieted earlier in life, is an important goal of group psychotherapy. The group supports people's efforts to recognize their own strengths and accept their vulnerabilities, which leads to greater appreciation of others’ struggles, and ultimately to richer, more compassionate and more satisfying relationships.
