GET TO KNOW ME
It's nice to meet you. I would like to introduce myself so you can understand a bit about my professional background and what is important to me regarding therapy.
I began my undergraduate studies at Hebrew University in general psychology, during which time I also began working with young adults suffering from major mental health illness and were living in an outpatient supportive facility. I found that the intensive and interpersonal nature of work suited me well. Particularly, connecting with and supporting others while they struggled, adapted, and found personal growth. This was a challenge that spoke to me on a personal level, felt natural, and filled me with motivation. This initial spark led me to study clinical psychology at the graduate level at Rupin. There I focused on gaining a deeper understanding of different psychological conditions, treatment theory, and learned treatment technique. As part of my graduate studies, I began a practicum at the Hillel Yafe outpatient clinic, providing psychotherapy to patients suffering from various mental health. This experience began to highlight for me the dedication needed as a therapist to maintain emotional openness and to focus on good treatment technique, I found that it important to consult both the clinical literature and experts to best address the nuances of treatment.
In my clinical residency, I worked for two years at the Cfar Shaul Psychiatric Hospital in Jerusalem treating serious mental health disorders in intensive short and long-term therapeutic interventions. These cases exposed me to the psychological conflicts at the very foundation of the human experience and provided important experience for understanding the human condition more generally. I then continued my residency for two years at Maccabi in a community outpatient clinic. There I treated a variety of patients on a weekly basis in more goal-oriented therapies. I learned that goal orientation can be an important aspect of therapy, which helps provide direction, focus, and a more efficient therapeutic process.
Currently, I am in the middle of a multi-year qualification in method of therapy called Transference Focused Therapy (TFP) which is a specific type of psychodynamic therapy started by renowned psychiatrist Otto Kernberg. It is a form of therapy that is specifically created for treating personality disorders and has gone through various peer-reviewed studies proving its efficacy. However, I also use various techniques from TFP with virtually all of my clients. I believe it is an important method for helping patients reach their goals efficiently. The method also allows me to provide treatment to those patients with personality disorders, as often they have trouble finding experienced therapists.
For a little bit of personal history, I made Aliyah over a decade ago having grown up in the Boston area. I believe that beign an Oleh highlighted for me the importance of identity of patients, including national and ethnic background, different role in the persons life, age, hobbies, ect. And I have seen the importance of including identy in the treatment setting after having worked with clients from different backgrounds, experiencing different issues, at different stages of their life's journey.
I have experience working across different age groups from young adults, typically during or after army service, to adults in the stages of beginning their family and career, to adults in middle age. I also welcome older adults who often have trouble finding experienced therapists. I have particular training in understanding psychology across the lifespan, with additional training and experience working with old age.