Michael Kitzes
Inquiry, or the practice of looking at our lives clearly and with integrity, is the way we learn and grow - and the same is true in therapy. The fertile ground for this can be found in the process of radical acceptance.
Inquiry, or the practice of looking at our lives clearly and with integrity, is the way we learn and grow - and the same is true in therapy.
If we are not aware and able to see and accept what is going on inside of us and outside of us, the power and integrity of inquiry is dampened. Through mindfulness and with compassion, we develop an ability to accept what is without judgment, and by doing so become more relaxed and are able to move forward in our lives with greater vision that and purpose. We cannot find our truth or our power if we are consciously or unconsciously pushing away our thoughts and feelings. In the short term that may feel better, but it ultimately supports a false sense of self and impedes the unfolding or our truer self.
First session
In the first session, clients can expect to experience acceptance and appreciation for both their own particular situation, as well as for the challenges all of us face just by being human. Each client is unique, and I allow for them to find their own pace in feeling comfortable and safe. I learn as much as the client does from the therapeutic process. We begin to form a therapeutic relationship that is respectful and collaborative. Whether that takes one session or many sessions is not important; it is the growing of the relationship and trust that is important. There is no timetable. For a therapist-client relationship to be successful, the process is as important as the content.
Strengths
My greatest strength is my ability to connect with clients and to create a safe, respectful and honest environment in which valuable inquiry and growth can unfold. I have practiced mindfulness all of my adult life, and I believe I can guide clients to experience a deeper awareness, a clearer and more compassionate understanding of their situation, and hopefully a deeper meaning and purpose in their lives. This is possible provided that the client also wants this and is open and committed to grow.
Ideal clients
As mirrored by my own life practice, I work best with clients who not only want to feel better, but are called to get to the heart of their challenges and issues. I work very intentionally to create a safe and accepting space, so we can explore the root of your challenges and stuckness, not just the branches. The inquiry is based both in the here and now, in thoughts and feelings, as well as in the underpinnings of what drives us. The clients I work best with have a deep yearning to be more authentic with themselves and their world. What does it mean to live with meaning, awareness and purpose? I look forward to finding out together.
Treatment methods
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
Paying attention to our thoughts, emotions and feelings helps point to the underlying roots of our suffering and gives us ways to see them in a different, often transformative light
Couples Counseling
My goal is to create safety and understanding in order to gain a shared understanding of the issues involved and move toward working together toward intimacy and connection
Humanistic
We are all complex individuals, and we all share the fact that we are human. Creating some distance from what is affecting us and exploring the humanity in all of us can help us see things differently.
Location
Virtual sessions