There are many different types of therapy and many different types of therapists in San Francisco, so in order to choose the right therapist for you, it is important to understand how they work. The work I do with my patients is called Psychodynamic Therapy. Traditional psychodynamic therapists focus on helping the patient develop insight. When patients develop insight, they gain a greater understanding of their problems and the reasons why they behave the way they do. However, contemporary psychodynamic therapists, like myself, believe that understanding one's problems is only a piece of the puzzle. Our work also emphasizes emotional expression and human relatedness.
Psychodynamic therapists work from the inside-out, which is very different from other types of treatments that focus purely on symptom reduction. I have a somewhat biased opinion, but I believe what makes psychodynamic therapy stand above other therapies is that it focuses on relationship. In my eyes, the only way that people really change is through the experiences they have with other people. In other words, we are the way that we are because of the impact that others have had on us. This is key to my work. With my patients, I explore the way that they relate to their friends, their family, and to me.
Jonathan Lichtenstein, Psy.D.
1774 Union Street
San Francisco, CA 94123
415-267-6199
