Nick Auerbach

I am trained in Cognitive-Behavioral therapy, Rogerian counseling techniques and evolutionary psychology.

I am qualified and experienced in working with people with depression, family conflicts, disruptive behavior in children, people with trauma histories, attachment disorders, and thought disorders.  I also work with clients on self-advocacy, decreasing dependency on others, building self-esteem and self-reliance.  I also work with clients on developing support networks and identifying opportunities by cultivating relationships with other people and by identifying community resources.

It should be noted, therapy may be a brief process, or it may be a long-term process.  As partners in the process, we will begin by identifying your goals for growth and then work together on skills, strategies, and new ways of thinking about the things you do, and the way you relate to people, and begin to develop a new perspective on outdated or less-than-useful self-management strategies.  We will also identify areas of risk, explore your past utilization of mental health services, and discuss what was useful about those encounters, and what perhaps, wasn’t.  I will coordinate with other mental health providers, schools, or other institutions while working with you to make a “safety contract,” which will be an agreement between you and I about what we will do if you feel unsafe or feel yourself slipping into risky thoughts or actions.

I cannot emphasize enough—the process of therapy should be a joint enterprise.  It is not something I will “do” to you.  Rather, it requires your active participation.  I will use my experience and knowledge from my studies, supervision, and clinical work to help along to a place you want to be.

The best way to frame my specialty is as assisting people to overcome their personal struggle- but only if those people genuinely want to change, and only if those people realize that my style sometimes includes talking to people about making changes that may not be comfortable.  

If you wish to contact me to set up an appointment you must believe I have some help to offer in the way of knowledge about your problems and experiences helping people get through similar struggles and come out stronger.

    If you want to try something that is difficult but meaningful to your life, and you realize that the process may be painful and time consuming, but may prove to be rewarding, please contact me. 

I do not specialize in trauma or any one school of therapy, although I have studied many of them and integrate them into my practice.  My best work is in explaining relevant research results to people who struggle with achieving serenity and peace of mind, who mean well and want to change, and who are willing to come.

I consider some elements of my style to be spiritual and some of my theoretical approach is influenced by existential psychology (see below), but I do not proselytize or advocate any one religion or even religion at all.

I have perhaps my greatest "hero" in psychology--a world renowned and ubiquitous author and psychologist--Irvin Yalom.

Yalom espouses and teaches group therapy and something he calls Existential Psychology which I believe is reflected in the idea that we all must face our own mortality and if we do so-with stoicism-we will realize that life is worth LIVING and we must make our own lives meaningful.  But we also must find meaning in the certainty of the fact of mortality that all humans face, including ourselves.

What we do, whom we choose to engage with, and how we live will determine our well-being and peace of mind.

I have worked for years with children with behavioral problems and their parents.   In my travels, and I do mean travels, I have worked with people with a variety of struggles.

Do you struggle with self-confidence?  How about feeling like someone in life forgot to give you an instruction manual?

The world is an overwhelming place regardless if we are “traveling alone” in it, or with loved ones.

I not only have struggled through many obstacles in my life, I have learned the value of compassion.

Now I would like to pass on some of the things I have learned with people who genuinely want to change and look at themselves.

Disclaimer

It should be noted, therapy may be a brief process, or it may be a long-term process.  As partners in the process, we will begin by identifying your goals for growth and then work together on skills, strategies, and new ways of thinking about the things you do, and the way you relate to people, and begin to develop a new perspective on outdated or less-than-useful self-management strategies. 

This is both art and science so there are no guarantees of the result.  You may experience an exacerbation of your symptoms or you may feel much better.  I ask of all clients who wish to end therapy with me that they come in for a final session.  This is not to rope you in but to bring closure to process.

I prefer not to work with people who do not want to be in my office.  This is because I strongly dislike spending time trying to prove the validity of counseling.

Anybody seeking counseling should be commended for recognizing that it is not a sign of weakness to ask for help and should realize that it is in fact a sign of health and strength.

I do not discriminate against people of any race, gender, belief, or sexual orientation.  I do maintain strict adherence to the ethical code for Mental Health Counselors laid down in Massachusetts State law.