Counseling and Psychotherapy with Marv

Let me tell you about my work as a therapist. I have been working in Seattle as a counselor and psychotherapist since 1964. My life experience, along with the plus 45-plus years I have been studying psychology and classical spiritual practice, has enabled me to help thousands of people find solutions to their problems, both as individuals and in their relationships. I provide a wide range of therapeutic services: individual and marriage counseling, psychotherapy, and group therapy as well as classes and training workshops in such areas as How To Meet People, Mastering the Art of Intimacy, and developing the skills in how to make "Magic" happen in groups.

The difference between Counseling and Psychotherapy:

Counseling is a problem-solving process devoted to resolving some challenge you are experiencing in your life—for instance, dealing with a difficult person. In counseling, you and I will examine this challenge and explore ways to find answers solutions and helpful resources.

Psychotherapy is a process of identifying and examining well established— knee jerk—responses.  At one period in your life those response patterns were necessary but today they may be out of date and, in fact, could be the source of some of your problems. Our work together will include exploring your difficulties in depth, identifying and understanding any outmoded belief systems, and evolving new ways of responding so that you can move through your life with greater ease.

The work I do is a combination of psychotherapy and counseling, along with some plain common sense, so the word therapy is the commonly used description for what we will be doing together. 

My approach as a therapist is for us to enter into a conversation. We will talk with each other like ordinary folks to explore how to create more satisfaction, peace, and love in your life. What I will bring to that conversation is decades of experience and training in almost all the methods of therapy that exist, and what you will bring is your questions and challenges. Together we will create a way that will work for you.

As we talk, you will find me to be very practical and engaged in our conversation. In short, I am an old guy who has studied many forms of traditional psychology and counseling and has also worked with therapeutic movement, drama, body-emotion analysis, and spiritual practices such as meditation and chanting. Between us, we will create a symphony of possibilities that we can use to bring harmony to your life.