I work psychotherapeutically with adults, couples, and adolescents. I do family work as well. I work with younger kids but generally not younger than 8. My clinical involvement with couples has intensified in recent years.  I do much high-conflict couples work.

The longer I practice psychotherapy, the more eclectic I regard myself. Some might construe "eclectic" as a euphemism for the therapist who lacks conviction, a philosophy, or a specialty. I can appreciate that perception, although, in my case, I prefer to define eclectic as skilled in many areas, and comfortable working with diverse clients and issues.

What interests me much more than "pathology"is people. I feel privileged, genuinely, to earn my clients' trust. I like my clients, and it's important to me that my clients sense my like of them (in a genuine way). In fact, I think it's vital to find something likeable, even admirable, about one's clients, and to transmit that appreciation to them.  

Stylistically, I work warmly and informally (but no less substantively) with my clients, eschewing the kinds of boundaries that conspicuously demarcate therapist and client. Humor is a welcome presence in my office.

I have great respect for the expectations and vulnerabilities of clients seeking my consultation/help; this is always humbling on some level. I feel genuinely privileged and grateful for the chance to be useful to my clients. 

The hypnotic work I do (see "Hypnosis Demystified") is principally with adults. I do much smoking cessation, self-esteem, and perspective transformative work. The first session is always evaluative, which is to say that I do not do hypnosis in a first session, but rather use the initial session to make a meaningful personal connection with my client, and to obtain relevant history that can be used effectively in subsequent hypnosis session(s). 

When I do hypnosis, I personalize the language to meet the unique client's particular concerns and goals. I do not, in other words, rely on generic hypnotic scripts, instead custom-writing the hypnotic language I use with my clients. This approach requires that I first take some time—in the initial session, as noted—to appreciate in some depth my client and her/his goals.