Psychotherapy

Two people, a woman in a green dress and a man in a suit, sit across from each other on pink chairs in a futuristic room with pastel colors. A large abstract mural with pink, teal, and white dots and clouds is on the wall behind them. They are engaged in conversation.

  • Psychotherapy is more than just 'talking' about issues. There are several techniques that a therapist can use during a semi-structured interview, each with it's own benefits.  Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the best studied modality. CBT involves exploring the “automatic thoughts” that we all have in a given situation.  Sometimes we may have negative thoughts that are overly judgmental or negative, and not entirely accurate based on objective evidence. The goal of CBT is to identify and challenge these thoughts. This usually involves a combination of sessions with a therapist and homework, exercised you will be given in session to complete at a later time. CBT is highly effective  in treating a number of conditions including anxiety and depression.

    Psychodynamic therapy is more exploratory and involves exploring how experiences in the past shape our expectations of the future. This approach is less structured and can be helpful in patients who have experienced trauma or difficulties in earlier life that continue to impact their current everyday life.

    Most therapists practice a combination of these two major styles according to their patient’s needs.

  • I will always tailor treatment to each individual patient according to their needs. This often involves a combination of psychodynamic therapy and CBT. I also have experience in other modalities such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which I will apply if it is in my patient’s best interests.

  • Commonly, patients meet with me once per week, either in the office or by a video/telehealth visit, for approximately 50 minutes.  Treatment courses are variable for each patient. Some patients benefit from just a few sessions. Other patients, with more complex issues, may stay in treatment for longer.or may need to meet more than once per week.  The goal of any therapy is to teach patients to become their own therapists and over time, patients may space out their visits as they get closer to recovery.

  • Please call us on (310) 817-0577 or fill out the brief form on our "Contact Us" page. We can arrange a brief telephone consultation to answer any questions you may have before scheduling your first appointment.

As a specialist who has worked at the highest level, Dr. Kennedy has extensive clinical experience in treating adults with a wide variety of medications and providing all necessary medical monitoring to ensure safe use.

Please see our FAQ above. If you have any additional questions, please call us on (310) 817-0577 or fill out the brief form on our "Contact Us" page.

We can arrange a brief telephone consultation to answer any questions you may have before scheduling your first appointment.