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Welcome
Life changing events can cause unwanted changes in a person's mental state. These events are things such as the death of a loved one, divorce, job loss, having been a crime victim, serving in the military in a combat zone or financial distress. While it is normal to feel “blue” for a while after events such as these, prolonged changes in your state of mind should prompt you to seek professional help in overcoming the negative feelings associated with a loss.
Left untreated, these feelings can lead to self-destructive behavior, obsessive or compulsive disorders, difficulties in relationships, reliving of a traumatic event, physical ailments (psychosomatic), anxiety, depression, attention deficits and eating disorders. Each of these reduces your quality of life – each day is something to get through rather than an opportunity to experience new and wonderful things.
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About Psychoanalytic
PsychotherapyThe goal of psychoanalytic psychotherapy is to create lasting understanding of the causes of your suffering and lasting changes with respect to your dealing with these hidden feelings that are at the core of your suffering. Successful therapy helps you to find a more satisfying, wholesome and emotionally engaged quality of life and life experiences. When relationships are at risk, Dawn Shifreen – Pomerantz might urge couples counseling or marriage counseling as part of the therapeutic mix.
People, who come to Dawn, often have sought other kinds of help. It may have been talking things over with a close friend or family member. Perhaps it was discussing issues in your life with your pastor, minister or rabbi. Or you might have read some self-help books to find a way to overcome the stressors in your life. At best, these attempts had a short term impact or none at all.
About Me
I have been in practice for nearly twenty years. During that time I have treated adults and adolescents. The most common issues that I help with include:
- – Childhood trauma
- – Grief and loss
- – Post-traumatic stress
- – Seniors counseling
- - Psychosomatic ailments
- – Depression therapy
- – Anxiety
- – ADHD
- – Obsessive behaviors
- – Eating disorders
Ms. Shifreen-Pomerants has Master of Arts in Psychology from JFK University and is currently is an advanced candidate for a Psy.D at the Psychoanalytic Institute of Northern California. Presently, she supervises at the Psychotherapy Institute in Berkeley and maintains private practice office in Berkeley and Lafayette, California.
The Process
Basically, you come into the office and take a comfortable position on the couch and begin to talk. While I listen, I may ask you for clarification or other questions that relate to what you have said. I have found that patients who visit me on a regular schedule build rapport and are not hesitant about talking. The familiarity of the setting and the relationship between patient and therapist leads to a compassionate and effective approach by the therapist.
The process of choosing in-depth psychoanalysis or psychotherapy is based on a free initial consultation with me. First we discuss the problems you are dealing with on your own. We then access if I can be of help to you. In some cases, we may decide together, that your case is not one where I am the best therapeutic choice. If that is the case, I will refer to you someone else whom I believe can help you. In all situations, you should seek a free consultation to make sure there is a good match between yourself and the therapist.
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