Robinson Woods Psychotherapy

In my time I have come to value a “relational depth psychotherapy” approach based on what I believe has had the most beneficial and lasting influences on individual and emotional/interpersonal development.  While I am not opposed to incorporating other treatment modalities as indicated, my theoretical framework is largely based on attachment theory and psychodynamic tenets. Another way of saying this could be, the human condition is such that we require and rely on relationships to exist coupled with the belief that both early experiences and the unconscious inform our values, perceptions, behaviors, and decision-making. This also means that I see an aspect of my work as remaining aware of relational themes, cultural dynamics, and unconscious material (in wishes, motives, and dreams for example) that may be interfering or impacting one’s life in repetitive, ineffective, painful, and/or harmful manners toward increased insight, and improvement in ways of relating to self and others. Depth psychotherapy offers the ability to pay close attention to the way unconscious processes are expressed and show up in society and culture, and makes room for understanding how culture affects the psyche.  The general aim of depth psychotherapy is to approach psychological suffering by supporting individuals to become aware of that which has been rejected from or abandoned by consciousness or has not yet been able to become known. Healing is associated with allowing what has been repressed, rejected, denied or ignored to come forward so that the person can understand, explore its significance and integrate it, allowing for a transformation in consciousness.  Incorporated in my approach to practice is the belief that marginalized identities frequently experience negative and intolerable projections by members, images, and representations of the dominant culture.  In this manner, I utilize depth psychology toward emphasizing human wholeness and one’s ability to find one’s own distinct path by facing what we believe is unacceptable in ourselves and others as well as gaining the ability to depersonalize aspersions that do not belong to us.