Psychological Services
Over the last 30 years I have had the privilege of working with a great number of individuals and families and have been able to provide effective treatment in a safe and supportive environment. I am committed to providing the highest quality care based on up to date research and developments in my field of practice.
I hope you find the information below helpful in learning more about my practice.
Eating Disorders
I specialize in working with adults and adolescents with various forms of eating disorders, including:
- Anorexia Nervosa
- Bulimia Nervosa
- Binge Eating Disorders
Adults Eating Disorders
When treating eating disorders, I use a team approach and work closely with a physician and a nutritionist as part of a treatment team. I take an active role in organizing the team and facilitating ongoing communication among the team members. I view the individual as the integral part of the team and their family members as significant resource to the client in the treatment process. In my view, eating disorders are complex conditions with many layers, ranging from medical concerns to emotional, relational and social issues. Each layer requires different interventions, such as providing education and awareness regarding impact of eating disorders on health, developing awareness and understanding of the role and functions of the eating disorders in the life of the person and employing various therapeutic methods to develop coping tools necessary for recovery and healing.
In my work, I use various approaches depending on the need of the person, including Mindfulness-Based and Compassion Focused therapy, Cognitive-Behavior Therapy, Radical Openness DBT, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, as well as insight oriented and relational approaches. I believe that it is through a process of cultivating self-compassionate and non-judgmental awareness, understanding and acceptance that we are able to create change that supports our growth and well being.
National Association of Anorexia Nervosa & Associated Disorders (ANAD)
Emotional Eating and Binge Eating Disorder
I utilize The Health At Every Size approach in working with adults and adolescents with emotional eating and binge-eating issues. This is a non-diet approach that focuses on stopping the vicious diet-binge cycle and the yo-yo weight loss and regain phenomenon that we have all been so familiar with as part of our current diet culture.
The "Healthy Mind- Healthy Weight Program" focuses on developing a healthy relationship with food, physical activity as well as with one’s body and mind. This program works on two parallel lines: the initial focus is on bringing structure and balance to eating and adding pleasant physical activities to daily living and fostering intuitive relationship with food and physical activity. The parallel focus is on understanding the connection between food and feelings and developing healthy coping mechanisms with emotions which are often the triggers to over-eating and bingeing and working toward fostering a new way of relating to oneself and one’s body based on self-acceptance and self-compassion.
This opens the door to an unfolding process of self-discovery, leading to greater awareness and acceptance of emotions, improved assertiveness in relationships and effectiveness in coping with stressful life situations. Once emotional eating is under control, food and weight issues can be better addressed, a healthy life style and a healthy weight can be achieved and maintained.
Adolescents Eating Disorders
I work with children and adolescents with a wide range of eating disorders and food and weight related issue. My initial approach is to conduct a comprehensive evaluation to gain a thorough understanding of the adolescents' health and functioning and of the role and impact of the eating disorder in their lives. I will consult and work closely with the child/teen's pediatrician and together will form a multidisciplinary treatment team, including a nutritionist with expertise in eating disorders and a psychiatrist as needed. I will coordinate and work very closely with every member of the team to assure teens medical stability and need for higher level of care, if needed. I assess carefully for any co-existing conditions and treat and/or refer accordingly. Through this process of comprehensive evaluation and in working closely with the treatment team and the family, I arrive at an individualized treatment plan. Based on appropriateness, I utilize an Adolescent-focused or a Family-Based approach in treating children and adolescents with eating disorders.
I am certified in Family Based Therapy for treatment of eating disorders with children and adolescents. In this approach which is based on the most recent research findings parents play a significant role in successfully fighting and helping their child overcome an eating disorder.
The Maudsely approach, developed at the Maudsely Hospital in England and the Family-Based Therapy, developed by Drs. Lock and La grange at Stanford University and University of Chicago, is strongly supported by research and is the recommended model of care for treating eating disorders with children and young adolescents. This model empowers the parent to take the crucial and challenging role of leading their child back to health, as they would be expected to do if their child were to suffer from any other potentially life-threatening condition. My work with adolescents with eating disorders and their families are informed by this and other principals of the Maudsley approach.
Once the eating disorder is treated and the teen/child is back to health, other intervening personal or family issues can be addressed and resolved. I work closely with the teen in understanding and overcoming the underlying issues as well as helping to develop healthier coping mechanisms in dealing with normal developmental challenges and stressful life situations.
In my own practice, I have found that since utilizing these principals, on average the course of treatment has shortened significantly, need for hospitalization has reduced and rate of recovery has notably increased and therefore chance of developing a more chronic condition is lessened.
For more information about the Maudsley and Family Based Therapy, you can refer to the following Websites:
www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1414759
www.feast-ed.org/understandingeds/maudsleyapproach.html
Article on eating disorders by Dr. Kashani: https://marincountypsych.org/eating-disorders.aspx
Healthy Family – Healthy Weight for children
This program is a Parent Centered approach designed to promote Healthy life-style for all family members. It offers behavioral and educational programs to parents to promote healthy eating and exercise habits for the family as a whole. This approach does not solely focus on weight but on promoting a healthy lifestyle in an emotionally nurturing family environment. The work will therefore focus on providing parents with proper nutrition and parenting education and support to establish and reinforce positive behavioral and nutritional changes in the family.
Adolescent and family therapy
I specialize in working with Teens, young adults and their families, facing various challenges, ranging from normal transitions to more serious difficulties such as depression, anxiety, self-harm behaviors, addictions, eating disorders and other psychiatric conditions.
I believe that the relationship between parents and their children is central to the health of the young person and successful transition through adolescence into adulthood. I use an attachment focused approach and work closely with both parents and teens to facilitate good communication and to strengthen their attachment bond.
I believe that parents are the best guide for their children. My role is to empower parents to help break down the barriers that interfere with successful parenting and maintaining a healthy relationship and bond with their children.
At the same time, I work individually with the teen and young adult to learn the necessary tools to successfully meet the challenges of adolescents, to work toward establishing independence and a healthy sense of identity and to facilitate entry into adulthood.
When indicated, I will assess and make appropriate referrals to other health providers such as pediatricians and/or psychiatrists and will coordinate the care as needed.
Anxiety disorders
Fear and anxiety are normal human emotions, designed to keep us alert about possible dangers and help us perform on tasks that requires our full attention and performance. When anxiety and worry becomes excessive, however, it can invade our lives and interfere with our daily functioning and may give rise to psychological conditions that are referred to as Anxiety Disorders.
While anxiety disorders can be extremely debilitating, they are very treatable. When left untreated however, it can become chronic and more severe. It can lead to other problems such as depression, substance abuse, eating disorders and can cause stress-induced medical conditions such as chronic headaches, digestive problems and etc.
Cognitive-Behavioral treatment are supported by research as the recommended form of treatment for anxiety disorders and found to be effective in correcting our perceptions and changing our reactions in ways that are more proportionate to the situation. I employ this model of treatment in combination with other approaches such as Dialectic-Behavior Therapy (DBT), Radical Openness DBT and Acceptance-Commitment (ACT) and Mindfulness-based and Compassion Focused therapies as appropriate. Furthermore, when appropriate, I will provide referral for psychiatric medication evaluation.
For more information about anxiety disorders and treatment, you can refer to the following Website:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/anxiety.htm
http://www.apa.org/helpcenter/anxiety-signs.aspx
Depression
Everyone at times experiences the blues which usually passes after a few hours or days. Depression however, is persistent and interferes with a person's day to day functioning and causes significant pain in the lives of those it touches. Depression is a common and a treatable illness.
There are many different types of depression, ranging from depression in response to stressful life situations to more severe depressive disorders. Research supports use of Cognitive behavior therapy in conjunction with medication, when indicated, as most effective form of treatment for depression.
In treating depression, I utilize cognitive behavior therapy and Mindfulness-based skills which are the established and recommended methods for treatment of depression.
Depression also impacts relationships with friends and family. They can experience the negative impact of depression in their daily lives and worry about their loved one. Friends and family members can in fact be an important source of support to the person battling the depression when they are knowledgeable about nature of depression and available treatment options.
I work closely with the family members to provide them with education and support in caring for themselves and their loved ones and will discuss need for additional support and referrals as needed.
For more information and education about depression, symptoms, treatment options and family education, you can consult the following Website:
Treatment of Addictive Disorders
An addiction is a habitual compulsion to engage in an activity or use of substance(s) despite repeated negative consequences in all or most areas of one's life, including physical, emotional, family, social, financial and spiritual life.
Regardless of the type of addiction and despite their differences, people come to experience behaviors and substances in ways that are fairly similar. The addictive behaviors often start as a source of pleasure and comfort but over time it becomes the way of coping with life and its daily challenges and stresses.
To break the cycle of addiction and to move beyond the initial abstinence into a life of recovery, it is necessary to understand the role and function of addiction. It is necessary to establish alternative coping tools and to find meaningful involvement and ties that supports a new way of life.
To that end, I approach each individual with an eye to their unique circumstances utilizing various approaches including cognitive-behavior therapy and dialectical-behavior therapy to support this process in order to heal from the negative impact of addiction and to be able to better understand and know what to expect during the course of the recovery process. I work closely with the person in recovery and their family members to re-build trust and to re-establish healthy ties and meaningful connections.
For more information about addictions and the recovery process, you can refer to the following Website:
http://www.nida.nih.gov/NIDAHome.html
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