Barton Shulman (he/him/his)

Many of us reach out when we feel the need for support, or help working through challenging times. Sometimes we face challenges we think are too difficult to manage alone. I believe in taking a strength-based, client-centered approach to psychotherapy, working with you to help you grow toward your best self. The familiar ways you have of dealing with life's complications may not be working; together we can work to identify new positive means of change.

Depression can bring a unique combination of feeling bad, and not being able to do the things that make you feel better. There's a "double-whammy" when you're down, and feel like you're "messing up" when you can't do the things that may make you feel better. Some people feel a combination of sadness and failure (at not being able to "think my way out of this.") Depression whispers in our ears "I'm never going away ... I'm with you forever ...." But depression is wrong - there are many ways to address depression, and I work with clients like you to discover the ways that work for you.

Anxiety is often the result of an over-active defense mechanism. Whatever the original cause of this self-defense, it usually does a great job of protecting us from dangers. But true anxiety comes from that self-defense process running out of control; protecting us from dangers that are not present in the moment. Using evidence-based tools and practices, and working with each individual client (like you) to tailor a plan best suited for you, I help manage and reduce anxiety symptoms, recognize their causes, and work with you to reduce your anxiety, often transforming it into an ally instead of a cause of distress.

Many of us reach out when we feel the need for support, or help working through challenging times. Sometimes we face challenges we think are too difficult to manage alone. I believe in taking a strength-based, client-centered integrative approach to psychotherapy, working with you to help you grow toward your best self. The familiar ways you have of dealing with life's complications may not be working; together we can work to identify new positive means of change.

My therapy style is integrative, working with each client to create a treatment plan that fits their specific needs. Generally, I combine psychodynamic work with a strong client-centered/person-centered (Rogerian) orientation. I have experience with CBT and ACT techniques, work with substance use issues from a harm-reduction perspective. I also incorporate elements of narrative, feminist, and interpersonal therapy.

Person-centered therapy, also referred to as Rogerian therapy, was developed and cultivated by psychologist Carl Rogers from the 1940s through the 1980s. The aim of person-centered therapy is to facilitate a client's innate drive toward personal growth and "self-actualization." This is done by providing the conditions now generally recognized by other therapeutic methods as necessary for change, including unconditional positive regard, therapist congruence (genuineness), and empathic understanding. Rogers is quoted as having said "I can't make corn grow, but I can provide the right soil and plant it in the right area and see that it gets enough water; I can nurture it so that exciting things happen. I think that's the nature of therapy."

Anxiety shows up when we get locked into "fight-flight-or-freeze" mode. Our bodies have a great built-in system to keep us from danger, but when the system gets triggered too easily, or too often, it can get in our way. I work with clients learning to identify this self-defense mechanism, what causes their anxiety, and working on tools to reduce anxiety.

Some of us spend a ton of time thinking that we're not "doing it right." Not living our lives to their fullest, not pleasing our loved ones, not making our parents proud. Whatever the issue is, we often live our lives burdened by self-judgment and self-doubt. I work with clients to re-discover their true self, and live their core values more fully. This leads to self-love, self-acceptance, and a deeper sense of satisfaction in our lives.