Life Coaching, Parent Coaching, Sport Psychology

In addition to psychotherapy and testing, I also offer coaching services.  Coaching is different than therapy.  In life coaching, the professional relationship focuses on helping the client achieve personal and/or professional goals.  People who would benefit from coaching are not suffering from any mental illness, such as clinical depression or anxiety, but worry that their growth in their professional or personal life is not being maximized.  People who seek coaching often feel stuck in their job, their marriage, or other relationships.  They may feel that they are not parenting the way they want to.

Being coached by a psychologist has its advantages.  Psychologists are trained in child and human development so we have great insight into how people think, feel, and behave.  In addition, we can diagnose mental disorders such as anxiety and depression which need to be treated with psychotherapy and/or medication before coaching will be effective.

Parent Coaching

Parent Coaching is a wonderful resource for mothers and fathers who are trying to do their best job.  There are many books available on parenting, but most books are general and work with the "average" child.  In parent coaching I help parents discover and overcome the obstacles interfering with the parent/child relationship.  As a psychologist, I am able to assess the emotional health of both parent and child and design interventions specific for each family unit.  This technique gives each family a unique coaching experience, instead of a generic, one-size-fits-all approach.

Challenges that parents find parent coaching helpful for include:

behavior issues, such as defiance or stubborness
sibling rivalry, or adjustment to a new sibling
discipline challenges (e.g., "Help, I'm yelling too much at my kids!)             understanding a child's emotional development
educational questions (what's the best learning environment for my child)

Life Coaching

Life Coaching addresses the professional and relationship areas of a person's life.  Life Coaching is designed to help people achieve their goals by understanding what motivates, what hinders, and what affects the choices they make in their professional and personal lives.  If you feel stuck or confused about where you are in your job or in your relationships, life coaching may be what you need to get your life back on track.

Individuals who can benefit from life coaching may be successful in their professional life, but feel unfulfilled.  They may be considering a career change but are not sure if it's the right thing to do.  Or they may have questions about where they want to go in their personal lives.  Perhaps they are not enjoying life the way  they want to.

As a life coach, I can help individuals move forward in their lives.  I can help you develop the plan, the confidence, and the motivation to take the necessary steps to reach your goals.

 Sport Psychology

Sport Psychology addresses the emotional and motivational aspects of sport performance.  Many athletes practice their sport and become proficient at the technical elements, but have difficulty performing in competition.  They have "mental blocks" or "performance anxiety" which interfere with their ability to do what they have trained for under certain situations.

Sport Psychology teaches individuals to recognize what their unique strengths and weaknesses are in terms of the mental aspect of sport.  In addition, I can help athletes learn to identify negative thoughts and images that interfere with positive performance and how to replace them with helpful visualizations.

Sport Psychology can also help teams work better together.  Often, when teams are close in ability, it is the team that works harmoniously and confidently that comes out on top.  I can work with teams to improve teamwork, work ethic, and a cohesiveness that translates into peak performance on the field, court, or diamond.