John DriessnackLCSW, LICSW

I am a therapist that challenges his clients; I do this with compassion, insight, and always within the context of the helping relationship and what the client is communicating to me regarding their needs.

My approach is collaborative; this means I expect my clients to do their share of the work in making the change they have identified. I use motivational interviewing to locate what change the client is ready to make; then I work with the client, typically using a combination of CBT and psychodynamic techniques, to foster insight and motivation for goal setting and actualization. I do not push clients to do things they are not ready to do. However, I do challenge clients to rethink their approach and insights when they are speaking or behaving in ways that conflict with their stated intentions. In this way, I and the client keep each other accountable to the goals that we can realistically meet together.

I have worked in both inpatient and outpatient settings; with people in recovery; adults and adolescents, singly and in groups; and I currently work with clients managing mood disorders, anxiety, and those seeking to improve their interpersonal skills. I have also worked closely with people on boundary setting, assertive communication, and managing family and relationship conflict.