JD, LMHC
My guess is that if you're reading this, you're somewhere close to being at your wits' end due to the stress of your legal practice. You became an attorney because you wanted to help people solve problems, make a difference in the world and - let's face it - to have a relatively comfortable lifestyle. You never imagined that you'd have so many sleepless nights, billable hours nightmares, constant demands from clients and higher-ups, intrusions on both personal and family time and such a struggle just to keep your head above water. You sense that there has to be a better way to practice law - and to live life.
My 27 years of experience as a trial and transactional attorney in the public, private and not-for-profit sectors - in a large firm, as managing partner in a small boutique firm, in business and as a solo practitioner, coupled with 20+ years as a psychotherapist and tons of experience learning valuable life lessons along the way, have equipped me with a skillset that combines logic with creativity, problem-solving with empathy, and straight talk with deep compassion. I can help you regain your self-esteem and your sense of worthiness as a human being and as a legal professional. Our work together will enable you to set better boundaries, advocate for yourself more assertively, discover your assets and utilize them to mitigate your liabilities, more effectively utilize your time, and to re-evaluate your values and priorities - your sense of meaning and purpose - to determine whether you want to stay 'in the game' or to seek out new opportunities outside the law (and they do exist!).
As someone who struggled in law school and in law practice, I can imagine what you might be going through. Despite feeling shame, guilt and a host of other negative emotions, I sought help - and found it in a caring and competent therapist. That help changed my life because it made it both tolerable and comfortable to look inside myself and see not only who I really was, but also who I could be. If that sounds like something you'd like for yourself, please do get in touch. I see psychotherapy clients throughout Florida on a secure, HIPAA-compliant telehealth platform. Maybe I'll see you soon - I hope so!
The paperwork you intially complete on my secure client portal will include credit card information. You'll be billed automatically 24 hours after each session for either your co-pay (if you're using insurance) or for your entire fee.
In addition to my academic degrees, I have accumulated many hours of both formal and experiential education, training and guidance in Reiki, a Japanese form of natural healing through therapeutic touch, and in Mindfulness-Based Meditation, Cognitive Therapy and Stress Management. Other areas of study and continuing education have included Trauma and Grief (both resulting in Certification), Somatic, Energy-Based and Movement-Based Therapies, Throughout my years of practice I have found these alternative therapies to be excellent add-ons to more traditional, talk-based work and I am happy to include any or all of these in sessions for those who are interested.
I utilize a blended approach to therapy, blending cognitive, emotion-focused and body-based strategies. We'll start out where you are: I have no particular agenda for you other than you having a better quality of life. Expect concise, pointed questions (I'll try not to cross-examine you, though!), gentle challenging, active listening, empathy, compassion and a touch of humor at times. Expect that I will be a real person, aiming to demystify therapy, welcoming you as an equal partner in the change process and valuing your input and feedback. Expect homework - it's designed to get you where you want to be faster. Depending on your particular challenges, you'll probably start to feel better after your first few sessions. Some feel a tremendous sense of relief at being able to unburden themselves in a safe, non-judgmental space after just one. However, I've found that it takes as long as it takes, that there is no perfect way to 'do' therapy and that's perfectly okay.
