Michael E. Portman
Verified
Clinical Psychologist
DPhil, MA
450NIS-800NIS NIS
N/A
Sliding Scale
I am primarily a Cognitive-Behavioral Therapist with many years experience and expert status. My mentor was the late Dr. Aaron Beck, the founder of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy. Am also trained in other modalities (i.e. Psychodynamic, Integrative Therapy) treating a broad range of mental health challenges such as anxiety, mood and interpersonal problems. I believe treatment should be individualized and fit the needs/preference of the person. Yet, I also have a strong conviction it should, ideally, be evidence-based.
In addition, am an international authority on Generalized Anxiety Disorder and have both written and lectured extensively on the topic.
Finally, creating a positive, caring and compassionate therapeutic relationship is the foundation that facilitates lasting insight/change for those seeking help.
DPhil
UNISA
2007
MA
The New School for Social Research
1991
21
27-110212
Clinical Psychologist
27-1787
Telephone Counseling, Online Therapy
Anxiety / Panic
Couples / Relationship / Marriage Counseling
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Trauma / Post Traumatic Stress Disorder PTSD
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Adjustments
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)
Bipolar Disorder
Depression
Executive / Career / Life Coaching
Life Transitions
Mood Disorders
Personality Disorders
Phobias
Self-Esteem
Spiritual Concerns
Stress Management
Adolescents
Adults
Couples
Men
Women
Geriatric
English
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is a type of psychotherapy that focuses on how one's thoughts, feelings and behaviors are connected and can be changed. It is based on the idea that how we think (cognition) and how we feel (emotion) can influence how we behave. CBT helps people identify and challenge distorted thinking and replace it with more balanced thinking, leading to improved mood and behavior. ‘Homework’, usually containing practical writing exercises, is often completed by the client between sessions to reinforce the therapy. Examples of tools that practitioners often use are journaling, challenging beliefs, and mindfulness.
Psychodynamic TherapyPsychodynamic therapy is a form of therapy that focuses on the unconscious mind and how it affects behavior. It works to help people understand and work through past experiences and feelings that may be causing difficulties in the present. This type of therapy encourages individuals to explore their emotions, relationships, and behaviors in order to gain insight into their current difficulties. It can help individuals better understand themselves and their motivations, and gain insight into how past events have impacted their current lives. People tend to develop defense mechanisms when faced with challenges in life. Defense mechanisms may keep painful feelings, memories, and experiences in the unconscious. A few common defense mechanisms include: denial, repression, and rationalization. Psychodynamic therapists encourage people to speak freely about their emotions, desires, and fears. Being open may help uncover vulnerable feelings that have been pushed out of conscious awareness. According to psychodynamic theory, behavior is influenced by unconscious thought. Once painful feelings are brought forth and processed, the defense mechanisms are no longer needed and a person in treatment can start changing unhelpful patterns when coping with life’s challenges.
Relational PsychotherapyRelational psychotherapy is a form of psychotherapy that focuses on a person’s relationships with others and the dynamics between them. It emphasizes the importance of the therapeutic relationship between the client and the therapist, and it explores the meaning and purpose of relationships in the client’s life. Relational psychotherapy seeks to understand how the client’s past relationships shape their current experiences and how the client interacts with others. The goal is to help the person develop healthier relationships and better communication skills so they can become more emotionally connected to others.
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is an evidence-based practice used to help children, adolescents and their parents who have experienced a single or multiple traumatic events. This type of therapy combines cognitive and behavioral strategies to help people process their traumatic experiences, manage their distress, develop coping skills, and restore their sense of safety and well-being. TF-CBT focuses on education and skill-building, creating an environment of safety and trust, and using therapeutic activities to help people understand their responses and control their symptoms. Children are shown how perceptions may be distorted and are given the tools to redesign those perceptions. TF-CBT is a skills-based model, and it requires the child and parent to practice its components in order to be optimally effective. Parents and children are commonly asked to practice skills at home.
Integrative Psychotherapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy, Interpersonal Psychotherapy, Supportive Therapy
Individual Therapy
Couples Therapy
Consultation