Clinical Orientation

ADULTS

Dr. Fisher's approach to psychotherapy continues to evolve and become more eclectic over the years. Her belief is fitting the therapy to the patient verses fitting the patient to the therapy. As part of that, she is comfortable using cognitive and mindfulness approaches and often, intensive insight-oriented work for deeper personality and attachment issues. She is experienced in working with trauma, abuse, panic disorders and depression. Many of her patients benefit from therapy to accept their innate temperament and develop a self-compassionate, sustainable lifestyle. Dr. Fisher is experienced working with adults at all developmental stages.

MINDFULNESS-BASED APPROACH

Dr. Fisher  has found that meditation and mindfulness based practices offer unexpected benefits and immediate shifts in old patterns of thinking. For patients who are ready (or who already have a meditation practice) mindfulness tools can have a powerful impact on dealing with emotional and physical challenges. Her personal practice of meditation and yoga has developed over the past 15 years. During that time she has studied at Esalen, and Omega Institute, and is continuing to study various styles of meditation – focusing on vipassana or insight-oriented meditation. Dr. Fisher is part of a sangha of practitioners who are learning the most cutting-edge mindfulness practices, participating in a 1-year certificate program with the Institute for Mindfulness and Psychotherapy. She has sought out training in mindful self-compassion (MSC) mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT), internal family systems (IFS), cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). She has taught Byron Katie's techniques and mindfulness practices in the community.

WORKING WITH GIFTED INDIVIDUALS

Oddly enough, it is the most gifted individuals who can feel the most stymied in living up to their potential.. There are unique life challenges for the creatively gifted, intellectually gifted and those with multiple talents. Feelings of isolation and difference, cynicism and over-thinking are common. For some intellectuals, the habitual mental whirl of insights and analysis can be paralyzing, limiting the benefit of traditional insight-oriented or positive-thinking approaches. Dr. Fisher’s ability to couple analytic understanding with the tools of mindfulness offers advantages in working through these issues, often in situations that seem futile or where individuals have made unsatisfactory compromises.

 YOUNG ADULT REFERRAL AREAS:

“Failure-to-thrive” adolescents:  (ADD, “late bloomers”, creatives, poor executive function, depression and isolation) Dr. Fisher works with young adults who have intellectual potential but seem to have disengaged from the academic environment. Intakes focus on assessing hidden vulnerabilities and emotional-skill deficits that have led to difficult, seemingly intractable situations. Her personal philosophy in working with children is aligned with Ross W. Greene, PhD’s motto: “Children do well if they can,” not “Children do well if they want to.” She is also a parent of three young adults.

Anxious, high achievers: (driven, perfectionism, hidden depression, panic disorders) Gifted, intellectual children can also tend toward fragile or rigid identities and compulsive behaviors. Fortunately, these children are also capable of excellent self-reflection and can benefit from psychotherapy to create more balance and resilience.

Families in conflict: Dr. Fisher is experienced in “turning down the volume” in families, decreasing chaos creating constructive change and hope in a family. She is empathic and helpful in teaching acceptance and a recovery of loving relationships in families who “didn’t get the child they were expecting.” She often works jointly with adolescents and their families to coach and support change. She uses collaborative problem solving techniques to give parents alternatives to power struggles, consequences and punishments that work poorly, and destructive spirals in the family that magnify conflict.