Contemporary psychoanalytic psychotherapy is a form of talk therapy that focuses on helping people understand themselves more deeply and experience life more fully. It’s based on the idea that our current struggles are often shaped by experiences and patterns that we may not be fully aware of—especially those rooted in early relationships and emotional development.

Rather than offering advice or strategies to “fix” a problem, this approach invites reflection, curiosity, and close attention to your thoughts, feelings, and ways of relating. In therapy, we pay attention not only to what you say, but how you say it—what gets repeated, what’s left out, and what emerges in the relationship between us. These moments can reveal something important about how you’ve learned to navigate the world—and where those ways of coping may now feel limiting.

This approach is dynamic and flexible. It’s grounded in a collaborative, open-ended process where we try to make sense of your experience together. Over time, this kind of work can lead to more lasting change—less shaped by unconscious conflict and more rooted in self-awareness, freedom, and emotional depth.

Is this psychoanalysis?

No. While it shares the same theoretical roots as psychoanalysis, the therapy I offer is more flexible and less intensive—adapted to the realities of modern life.

A substantial body of research supports the effectiveness of psychoanalytic psychotherapy, particularly for people seeking deeper, longer-lasting change. While short-term therapies that focus on symptom relief—such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, or other behavioral techniques—can be helpful, studies show that psychoanalytic psychotherapy (often referred to as “psychodynamic therapy”) can lead to continued improvement even after therapy has ended.

This is because the work doesn’t just target specific symptoms; it addresses the underlying emotional patterns and internal conflicts that give rise to them. It is also particularly well suited for those grappling with questions about identity, meaning, and their sense of self—concerns that may not fit neatly into diagnostic categories but nonetheless affect how one experiences life.

Research has also shown that psychodynamic therapy is effective for a wide range of emotional difficulties—including anxiety, depression, and relationship challenges—and that its benefits tend to deepen and endure. In other words, while the process can take time, it’s often associated with more meaningful and sustained change.

My office is located in Downtown Madison, Wisconsin, just off Capitol Square.

In addition to seeing patients in my office, I also offer online therapy for individuals across Wisconsin and California, where I am licensed to practice.

Finding the right therapist is a personal decision—and an important one. Decades of research shows that the quality of the relationship between therapist and patient is the strongest predictor of successful outcomes in therapy, more so than the specific technique or orientation used. A good fit often depends not just on the credentials and experience of the provider, but on whether you feel a sense of trust, curiosity, and safety in the relationship.

I’m a licensed clinical psychologist, which means I’ve completed a doctorate in clinical psychology — the most advanced degree possible in the field of mental health — and extensive supervised training in psychotherapy, psychological assessment, and diagnosis. Clinical psychologists differ from other mental health providers in a few key ways. Unlike psychiatrists, who are medical doctors and primarily prescribe medication, psychologists specialize in talk therapy and in-depth psychological understanding. Compared to master’s-level clinicians (such as licensed clinical social workers, mental health counselors, or marriage and family therapists), psychologists receive more years of clinical and academic training, including advanced education in human development, psychological theory, and research.

Psychologists are also the only mental health professionals who undergo required specialized doctoral-level training in assessment—tools that can offer deep insight into how a person thinks, feels, and functions.

The overall depth of preparation, time committed to training and research, and breadth of experience required to become a licensed psychologist supports a comprehensive, nuanced approach to treatment, especially when working with complex or longstanding concerns.

Therapy isn’t for everyone.

For someone wrestling with the question of whether to start therapy or not, the best advice I can give is: a good reason to start therapy is that you want to.

If you want to start somewhere, but are ambivalent about therapy or want to explore alternatives, you may find comprehensive evaluation or focused assessment useful.