Biography

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I am a psychiatrist and work with individuals dealing with depression, anxiety, stress, and other emotional problems. In addition to providing psychotherapy, my medical training allows me to provide comprehensive psychiatric assessments and to prescribe medication when clinically indicated.  I offer patients short-term dynamic psychotherapy, supportive individual counseling, and longer term analytically-oriented treatment. 

I provide medication along with psychotherapy when indicated for patients, and also provide psychiatric evaluation and treatment for patients receiving psychotherapy from non-medical clinicians (social workers, psychologists etc.) Such treatment is carefully coordinated with the referring psychotherapist. 

My medical education was completed in 1983 at the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland.  During medical school, I had the opportunity to study psychoanalytic theory under the supervision of Dr. Jerome Frank, and completed a sub-internship with Dr. Joseph DePaulo in inpatient psychiatric treatment.  As part of my personal development towards becoming a psychiatrist and psychotherapist, I completed a three-year psychoanalysis through the Baltimore-Washington Institute for Psychoanalysis.

I completed my psychiatric internship and residency in 1987 at The New York Hospital Cornell Medical Center-Westchester Division in White Plains, New York.   During my residency, I had the opportunity to work as a psychotherapist and also as a Clinical Team Leader on the Long Term Inpatient Treatment Program (developed by Dr. Otto Kernberg) for individuals with severe Personality Disorders including Borderline Personality Disorder. My work on the unit occurred over a period of two years.  The possibility of having this training opportunity was one of the reasons that I chose New York Hospital. It was a unique setting that offered the opportunity to develop psychoanalytically based psychotherapy skills in an intensive inpatient setting. 

My undergraduate Degree was received in 1979 from the University of Washington in Seattle.  I majored in Chemistry and Cellular Biology, and completed course work in psychology and graduate chemistry. During college, I developed and taught a course to disadvantaged high school students interested in learning more about careers in the Health Sciences. I also worked with medically ill children through the Recreational Therapy Department at the Children’s Orthopedic Hospital in Seattle.

In addition to my Medical School education and my Adult Psychiatry Residency training, I have also had training in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing Treatment) which can be a powerful therapy technique, especially for individuals with anxiety, PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and Panic Disorder. I have also completed a couples psychotherapy workshop with Dr. Gottman.  In addition, I have been involved in long-term supervision in psychopharmacology (use of medication in psychiatry) with particular focus on the treatment of severe depressions and bipolar disorders.

I have been practicing for nearly 15 years in Ridgefield Connecticut, and in New York since 1987.  My New York practice is at my home office in Bedford Corners in Westchester County.  I work primarily with older adolescent and adult patients and couples, dealing with depression, anxiety, marital and occupational stress, and also have extensive experience working with individuals struggling with alcohol abuse and dependency.  My work encompasses the belief in the healing power of empathy and understanding; the importance of the human connection developed within the context of psychotherapy; working with the whole person, including their emotions, intellect, body and spirit—all in a caring and physician-like manner.