My therapeutic orientation is family systems, so even when I’m working with one person in my office, I try to understand that person in the context of emotional systems in which he/she is embedded–family, work, friendships–and help the person recognize some of the forces acting upon them by learning the implicit rules of those systems. What expectations did someone grow up with, for example, around marriage and family? What lessons were learned by the person from family and society about sexuality and religion, work and play, fitting in vs. going one’s own way, and all the other challenges and choices that life presents to us? My style is active and straightforward, and I see therapy in part as an educational process in which folks are hiring me–and potentially firing me--as a consultant to help them understand better what’s happening in their lives, how to approach problems using their own strengths and values, and what might be preventing them from becoming more who they want to be.