Elaine Lipkin

Choosing a therapist hinges on so many factors! Who you are, what you are looking for in therapy. Then there are the therapists available to you, You look at their education, training, experience, therapeutic approaches, etc. Deciding to seek therapy takes courage and you want a good fit. That fit comes from working together, developing trust and a willingness to be open to hearing what each other says. I have been a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist since 1990. I have worked in the mental health field since 1975, in psychiatric hospitals, outpatient clinics, and then interning in private practice for three years prior to becoming licensed. I was extremely lucky to have worked at a psychiatric hospital early on that provided staff education with some of the most famous people in the field of psychotherapy, so I feel my foundation is outstanding. Life can be hard, overwhelming, frustrating, and exciting. My role as a therapist is to help you help yourself, to identify areas in your life where you might be stuck, understand why you do or feel or act as you do, understand the influences that affect you today. I believe in setting goals in therapy that can be evaluated along the way and changed when needed. Therapy can be short term, very solution oriented. Or can take longer. I draw from the various therapeutic approaches that I have studied and put into practice over the years. And apply what I know to each client individually. Clients have described me as compassionate, that I seek to understand what they need, that I am able to hear them, and that I am respectful. I love the connection between myself and my clients that allows me to stay neutral yet utilizes my ability to be empathetic. I will help you to develop the tools needed to make the changes you identify and to incorporate insights that happen along the way. I have worked with individuals, families, and couples. My speciality has been working with people going through Infertility and I have had specialized training in this unique area as well as being a therapist with a national support organization. All of this experience and training define who I am as a therapist/counselor today. I have a good understanding of how our family of origin affects how we function today and utilize a family systems and a more eclectic approach. But more than what approaches I draw from, that connection I mentioned above is what helps my clients achieve their goals. I wish you all the best in your journey and if I am the therapist you contact, I look forward to our work together.