Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is a form of treatment of an individual's psychological difficulties. The process involves talking with a clinical psychologist (or another mental health provider) about the various issues in one's life that causes distress.
During therapy, people come to understand how their moods, feelings, thoughts, behavior and choices in response to certain life events are impacting their quality of life.
In collaboration with a therapist, they learn how to better respond to life's challenges by developing adaptive coping mechanisms.
Psychodynamic Psychotherapy
Psychodynamic psychotherapy is a form of Psychology, the primary focus of which is to understand psychic content and processes that are not in an individual's conscious awareness. Once conflicts that cause stress, are brought to conscious awareness, it allows the therapist and patient to work collaboratively in an effort to alleviate psychic tension and distress.
Psychodynamic psychotherapy also relies on the interpersonal relationship between patient and therapist more than some other forms of psychotherapy. In terms of technique and approach, this form of therapy uses psychoanalytic principles adapted to less intensive style of treatment, usually at a frequency of once or twice per week.
Psychoanalysis
Psychoanalysis is a set of psychological theories and therapeutic techniques, originally developed by Sigmund Freud. Over time, Freud's theories and techniques have been revised, and reformed by later psychoanalysts, many of whom went on to develop their own independent ideas.
The fundamental principles of psychoanalysis include the following:
- Childhood experiences play a central role in the development of adult personality. A person's development is therefore determined by events in early childhood.
- Human thought, attitude and behavior are largely influenced by irrational drives, which are out of conscious awareness.
- Attempts to bring these unconscious drives into conscious awareness are met with psychological resistance in the form of defenses (which are often out of awareness).
- Conflicts between conscious and unconscious (repressed) material can manifest itself in the form of emotional disturbances, for example: anxiety, depression, etc.
- Release from the effects of these conflicts is achieved by bringing this material into consciousness and then by working through the conflicts using therapeutic interventions.
Psychoanalysis refers to a specific type of treatment in which the patient undergoing psychoanalysis verbally expresses their thoughts, fantasies, and dreams from which the analyst deduces the unconscious conflicts causing the patient's symptoms, and interprets them for the patient to gain insight for resolution of the problems. Through the analysis of conflicts, psychoanalytic treatment can help patients understand how they unconsciously play a role in creating their own difficulties. In addition, they also understand how unconscious actions and reactions that have been evoked by experiences (often long forgotten) are causing symptoms.
Sigmund Freud
Immigration (Forensic) Evaluations
Primary Benefits of a Psychological Evaluation:
- Information about the current psychological state of an individual.
- A framework to understand how psychiatric symptoms might be effecting a person's functioning.
- Clinical evidence for the presence of PTSD when physical or emotional abuse is reported or suspected.
- Data to demonstrate the potential for significant emotional and psychological hardship due to the forced separation from a family member.
- Detection of the presence of depression, anxiety and/or compromised cognitive capacities.
- Clinical evidence of an individual's credibility.
I have evaluated more than 1,000 individuals involved in immigration matters and have been accepted as an expert witness in the fields of Clinical Psychology and in Trauma on multiple occasions in Immigration courts in Baltimore, MD and Arlington, VA.
I have published articles on Trauma in peer-reviewed journals, served as a peer reviewer for manuscripts submitted for publication in Clinical Psychology journals. I have also spearheaded a seminal research project to demonstrate the cross-cultural applicability of the PTSD model. In addition to my teaching and research, I also frequently speak at academic and health care institutions, and professional conferences, including at the Bar Association of Montgomery County, Maryland.
Comprehensive Psychological Evaluations
A comprehensive evaluation involves an assessment of intellectual and emotional functioning in adults and children experiencing academic, cognitive, emotional and/or behavioral difficulties.
The process involves a detailed interview with patient (and/or parent), followed by an extensive assessment utilizing multiple measures. Once the evaluation is completed, a thorough report (including recommendations) of the findings will be provided .
