Authentic Understanding of Yourself and Others

Psychotherapy offers insights into how we habitually think and process experience, along with the myriad techniques we employ to avoid mental pain. While our "habits of mind" have a useful survival aim, some can result in painful and unproductive states---depression, anxiety, mood swings, as well as addictive and destructive behaviors.

Trained in psychological and psychoanalytic theories and techniques, I can work effectively with such behaviors and states of mind, lessening the suffering associated with a wide variety of psychic afflictions.

Whether you are seeking individual, couple, or family therapy, you can expect to find a safe, non-judgmental environment where we can work together to understand your difficulties and help you achieve emotional well being.

Psychotherapy and psychoanalysis are related forms of treatment aimed at addressing the present day causes of emotional distress and fostering healthy personality development. Depending on the extent and severity of emotional distress, many people find 1-2 sessions per week of psychotherapy very helpful in: relieving symptoms; the development of insight (“Know Thyself”); an improvement in the ability to recognize and handle feelings (“Emotional Intelligence”); an increase in self-esteem; the development of a robust and resilient sense of identity; an increase in one's sense of personal autonomy; the enhancement of ego strength and capacity to cope with life's difficulties in a realistic and adaptive way; an expansion of the capacity to love, to work, to play, and depend appropriately on others; and, an increase in one's experience of pleasure and serenity.

The Nobel Laureate neuroscientist Eric Kandel has said that “psychoanalysis still represents the most coherent and intellectually satisfying view of the mind.” While having many of the same goals as psychotherapy listed above, psychoanalysis differs noticeably in the frequency of sessions: 3-5 times per week. This allows for a more intensive and comprehensive exploration of one's personality, relationships with others, and creative focus and process. Psychoanalysis allows for a very different process from that of psychotherapy, a difference that may be likened to the difference between cinematography and still photography; if you project slides at a low frequency, you see the frames one after another, but once you exceed a certain threshold, movement appears, and you have transferred from still photography to the realm of cinematography. Both are processed in their own right, but they are different in nature. Rudimentary as it is, this comparison sometimes gives a good impression of what the emergence of the psychoanalytic process can be like. Psychoanalysis, like psychotherapy, provides an opportunity to discover and share one's thoughts and feelings more openly than is normally possible in human relationships. Dr. Davis is currently offering a reduced fee for a four times per week psychoanalysis.

Working with partners involves focus on communication between individuals and working toward resolving conflicts and expanding intimacy. The work frequently explores how the couples' past experiences are affecting the present relationship. The therapist presents a neutral point of view and is careful not to hold secrets from either partner.

Adolescence is a challenging time of human maturation. Working with a teen to understand his or her individual concerns, as well as those within the family of origin, can be a great source of relief from anxiety, depression, identity development, and other issues that can be problematic for teenagers.

The dynamics within a family are continually evolving. Treatment involves work on improving communication among all members in a stable and non-judgmental environment. Entrenched patterns of relationships among family members are explored as are generational, behavioral, and interpersonal challenges within the family system.

Supervision is offered to licensed clinicians seeking individual consultation as well as to those working to fulfill required hours for a California State License.