Dr. Zuniga's Approach to Therapy
Great doubt will eventually lead to great awakening. - Manhae (Han Yongun)
There are over 400 different kinds of talk therapy and there is a great deal of debate about the efficacy of various forms of counseling and how they relate to psychiatric medications[i]. Though there are debates about the best kinds of therapy, comprehensive reviews of research suggest that there is no single, best way to address the diversity of human experiences, cultures, and challenges[ii]. When it comes to therapy, the key question is what helps a particular person in his or her unique situation in the moment.
I am trained in several kinds of therapy, including cognitive-behavioral, interpersonal, and humanistic-existential counseling. With clients who are interested, I often use a mindfulness-based approach and believe that skillful counseling can empower different results based on a person’s unique circumstances. I have repeatedly seen the ability of people to transform the most difficult of situations, such as a couple on the verge of divorce, a person struggling with past trauma, or a teenager who is terminally ill. People have the ability for transformation, and we all need help sometimes.
Much of contemporary psychology is built on the assumption that suffering is a result of dysfunctional thoughts and behaviors. But some challenges, such as aging and illness, are inevitable and universal. Most people at some point struggle with the will to act, be in relationship, and find meaning. Therapy may result in a radical restructuring of one’s thoughts and behaviors or conversely change may culminate in a newfound acceptance as a person chooses to fully sit with his or her reality precisely the way it is.
Shunryu Suzuki once observed, “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few.” In all of my professional work and graduate training I have strived to become the best healer I can be. And I learn something new every day from the people I seek to help. I hope I can be of service to you or help you find the resources you need.
[i] Carlat, D. (2010). Unhinged: The trouble with psychiatry—A doctor’s revelations about a profession in crisis. Free Press: New York.
Wampold, B. (2010). The basics of psychotherapy: An introduction to theory and practice. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
[ii] Frank, J.D., & Frank, J.B. (1993). Persuasion and healing: A comparative study of psychotherapy. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press.
Wampold, B. (2001). The great psychotherapy debate: Models, methods, and findings. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.
I am trained in several kinds of therapy, including cognitive-behavioral, interpersonal, and humanistic-existential counseling. With clients who are interested, I often use a mindfulness-based approach and believe that skillful counseling can empower different results based on a person’s unique circumstances. I have repeatedly seen the ability of people to transform the most difficult of situations, such as a couple on the verge of divorce, a person struggling with past trauma, or a teenager who is terminally ill. People have the ability for transformation, and we all need help sometimes.
Much of contemporary psychology is built on the assumption that suffering is a result of dysfunctional thoughts and behaviors. But some challenges, such as aging and illness, are inevitable and universal. Most people at some point struggle with the will to act, be in relationship, and find meaning. Therapy may result in a radical restructuring of one’s thoughts and behaviors or conversely change may culminate in a newfound acceptance as a person chooses to fully sit with his or her reality precisely the way it is.
Shunryu Suzuki once observed, “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s there are few.” In all of my professional work and graduate training I have strived to become the best healer I can be. And I learn something new every day from the people I seek to help. I hope I can be of service to you or help you find the resources you need.
[i] Carlat, D. (2010). Unhinged: The trouble with psychiatry—A doctor’s revelations about a profession in crisis. Free Press: New York.
Wampold, B. (2010). The basics of psychotherapy: An introduction to theory and practice. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.
[ii] Frank, J.D., & Frank, J.B. (1993). Persuasion and healing: A comparative study of psychotherapy. Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press.
Wampold, B. (2001). The great psychotherapy debate: Models, methods, and findings. Mahwah, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.