As a clinician, I respect the value of therapy while mindful of the many factors that determine its quality and ultimate benefit. I view any therapy as a mutual educational process with all parties truly collaborating if meaningful change is to be achieved. The means for “change” vary from case to case but the underpinning of all productive therapies is an alliance sturdy enough to endure and learn from the twists and turns along the way. In sharp contrast to the notion held by some, I do not view therapy as a medium for the faint-hearted and impaired. To the contrary, I view effective therapy as involving competent and accomplished individuals who have the courage to be different in an effort to stay on track developmentally. Through my clinical experiences over twenty five years, I have developed competencies in effectively addressing a wide range of issues: anxiety, mood disorders, regulating struggles (e.g., anger management and addictions), attentional problems, post traumatic stress disorder, panic, personality disorders, and family distress. And over the years I have come to be viewed by my colleagues as very effective with “difficult” adolescents.
As a mediator, I continue to be impressed with one of the truisms of the field, “There is always a solution in the room.” I have found mediation to be a remarkable vehicle for the formulation of constructive agreements provided the parties involved can move from a “combative” to a “cooperative” mindset. In promoting this transition, a mediator must take on three initiatives: (1) he or she must maintain a concerned but fair-minded stance, (2) he or she must facilitate the process by facilitating the injection of “new” information and understandings whenever possible, and (3) he or she must help the parties, if necessary, acquire the skills, e.g., active listening, needed to be more effective problem solvers. As an aside, the efficacy of mediation has led to the incorporation of some of its concepts and techniques into my clinical efforts.