Beth Kaplan Sommerfeld, PhD specializes in treating adults who have symptoms of anxiety, depression, life stress, relationship issues, and health issues. Therapy in her practice includes identifying areas of difficulty then formulating goals and building strategies for reaching them. Coping strategies address thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in order to reduce symptoms and increase quality of life. Dr. Sommerfeld views therapy as a collaborative process, as she and her clients work together to identify approaches to improving their lives. By actively listening, providing support and recommendations, and then allowing the client to test out new behaviors, she and her clients develop opportunities for new learning and change to occur. Dr. Sommerfeld approaches therapy from a cognitive-behavioral perspective, which includes providing tangible coping strategies that clients attain in therapy and carry with them. The therapy is aimed at stopping cycles of negative thoughts, maladaptive behaviors, and distressful moods in order to change present and future experience, rather than concentrating on the past. In addition to being licensed in Florida and Illinois, Dr. Sommerfeld has Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Practice by PsyPact, allowing for telehealth services to be provided to clients in 38 states at the present time.
| Degree | Major | School | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| PhD | Psychology (Clinical) | Northwestern University | 1998 |
| BA | Psychology | University of Pennsylvania | 1992 |
