Beth Kaplan Sommerfeld

I view therapy as a collaborative process, as my clients and I work together to identify approaches to improving their lives. By actively listening, providing support and recommendations, then allowing the client to test out new behaviors, we are producing opportunities for new learning and change to occur. I treat adults, both individuals and couples, whose lives are being negatively impacted by depression, anxiety, relationship issues, health issues, and life stress generally. I believe that successful therapy includes supporting and reinforcing clients’ strengths as well as addressing problematic symptoms and behaviors.Therapy in my practice includes identifying areas of difficulty then formulating goals and building strategies for reaching them. Coping strategies address thoughts, feelings, and behaviors in order to reduce symptoms and increase quality of life.Cognitive-behavior therapy provides tangible coping strategies that clients attain in therapy and carry with them. The therapy is aimed at stopping cycles of negative thoughts, maladaptive behaviors, and distressful moods in order to change present and future experience, rather than concentrating on the past.