Max Benjamin
You may be on the right path, but stumbled, fell, or got lost along the way. Or you may be struggling to find the path. I want to help. In therapy, I aim to create a calm, sturdy, emotionally open, and radically nonjudgmental space where you can be deeply curious about your own experience. A patient, open-ended space where you can take your time.
Effectiveness and smoothness of integrating "deep" work with humor, directness and a focus on the present and the future.
A space where you can slow down, breathe, reflect, be quiet or silent. A space where you can be loud, angry, triggered, upset. A space where you don't have to make sense, but we can try to make sense of things together. A space where we both can be genuinely curious about who you are.
First session
Introductions, agenda setting, a semi-structured intake process, then beginning to address the specific challenges you're facing. This will help me create a tailored plan for us to work through in follow-up sessions.
Strengths
Effectiveness and smoothness of integrating "deep" work with humor, directness and a focus on the present and the future. Also, abilities involved in focusing the therapy work on change. Consolidating your "what" and "why" for change, then guiding you in goal-setting and other forms of the "how". Therapy typically focuses on the "what" for quite some time. Some amount of self-understanding is typically necessary before significant change is possible. When that rubber hits that road, some of my strengths as a therapist can shine.
Ideal clients
People who struggle with unstable or unsatisfying relationships, perfectionism, indecision, low self-esteem, setting and meeting goals, patterns of avoiding (anxiety) or disengaging from (depression) social life, stress management, anger management or other forms of difficulty controlling emotions. Additionally, I often find I am a good therapeutic "fit" with people who are struggling with choosing or adjusting to psychiatric medication, a new medical diagnosis or related lifestyle change, romantic relationship problems including break-ups, marital relationship problems including disputes aboutparenting issues or either partner having an affair, adjustment to having a new psychiatric diagnosis like Bipolar Disorder, and adjustment to daily living following a psychiatric hospitalization.
Treatment methods
Schema Therapy
Schema Therapy, created by Dr. Jeffrey Young -- this therapy integrates object relations, attachment theory, and psycho-drama with CBT and experiential techniques. Traumas and otherwise emotionally powerful memories from childhood or adolescence are evoked and directly treated in-session. This is combined with a heavy emphasis on psychoeducation, handouts, and homework that targets the nuts-and-bolts work of applying coping skills within the schema framework.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
Dialectical Behavior Therapy - formal training in Dr. Marsha Linehan's DBT Fundamentals online course, concurrent with post-doctoral training (1500+ hours) as a participating clinician on a full-package DBT team at clinic called The Wise Mind Institute
Attachment-based
attachment-based approaches include object relations (relational psychodynamic/psychoanalytic theory), schema therapy, and Steven Hayes's Process-Based CBT
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
ACT - acceptance and commitment therapy. Completed Dr. Steven Hayes's live, 4-day foundational training called "ACT Boot Camp"
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia (CBT-i)
Was trained in delivering this treatment protocol in hospital setting during Predoctoral Internship
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
Top specialties
Other specialties
Serves
Licensed in
- CaliforniaLicense 34100