Therapy for Physicians & Medical Professionals
As a medical provider, your counseling needs may not be met by someone who does not fully understand what it means to be a physician.
Physicians are taught that mental toughness is a requirement for career success. Unfortunately, that does not necessarily give us space to be human and to acknowledge our own emotional needs, so we often neglect them. Doctors can get caught up in thinking our own problems are too small or insignificant to seek help, or so unmanageable that they cannot be tackled. I believe that if something is causing you distress, you deserve confidential therapy to address it with an experienced counselor.
Few counselors can fully understand the challenges that medical providers face if they haven’t been in the medical field themselves. My medical background gives me insight into what doctors experience in their careers and personal lives, as well as how those factors might influence their mental health and impact treatment. As someone in recovery, I understand the stigma that exists around AODA issues and therapy for medical professionals. I know firsthand the fear of potential consequences that could result from seeking help, and how shame prevents doctors from accessing needed treatment.
I offer flexible hours with in-person or online appointments. I am not affiliated with any medical group or hospital, do not share an EHR record with any medical system, and avoid insurance to protect your privacy. Physicians deserve to address their mental health concerns without fear of negative professional consequences.
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Protecting your privacy is critical to me, and I have structured this practice to reflect that. My platform uses bank-level encryption to protect your information. Bypassing insurance avoids a discoverable record of your services. I even avoid giving my clients diagnoses so that any licensing questions about those can be honestly answered no. No one will know you are receiving therapy with me unless you disclose it to them yourself.
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Therapy with me is probably not what you expect. My sessions are dynamic and interactive — I do not listen passively and ask how something made you feel. I offer insight, ask questions to better understand you, and challenge you to introspect. I identify your unique strengths and try to build on those to help you grow. When a client is stuck in an unhealthy pattern, I point it out and help them explore other ways to be or act.
I start giving clients tools to use and ideas to explore as early as the first session. I know your time is valuable, and I want to make your sessions with me worth the time.
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Physicians tend to avoid therapy for many reasons, including lack of time, fear of professional fallout, the tendency to put ourselves and our personal concerns last, or the resigned belief that nothing can ever get better. But if…
• Your professional or personal life isn’t what you want it to be,
• You’re in emotional pain,
• You’re bothered by negative thoughts or memories,
• Or if you just want to be happy …
I believe that you deserve the time and space to work on those things. One hour every week or two is a small commitment compared to the time you routinely put into taking care of other people. Outside of sessions, I ask clients to pay attention to things that they didn’t notice before, to be curious about why they do the things they do, and to try different things in their relationships to get different results. Change doesn’t require huge amounts of energy or time, just a willingness to try.