Dr. Neallie Ranon psychologist in Mountain View, CA

What is Therapy?

Psychotherapy is a series of therapeutic discussions between patient and therapist. My theoretical approach is a psychodynamic one, which is based on the assumption that talking brings relief through emotional and intellectual understanding of your difficulties. Since no two people are alike, therapy will be tailored to your specific needs, taking into account the unique problems that bring you into treatment, your circumstances and stage in life.

How Does it Work?

We would first meet for a face to face consultation so I could get a better understanding of the issues that are concerning you, and see whether I am the best person to provide the services you need. If you don't feel comfortable working with me, or if your problem does not lie within the areas of my expertise, I will refer you to other qualified professionals. Once we agree to work together, we will usually meet once a week for 50 minutes. In sessions, we would talk about your current concerns and explore them together.

I offer both short and long-term therapy for individuals and couples. The goal of short-term therapy is to tackle an isolated difficulty, often an urgent one, such as a relationship break up or a crisis at work. Its aim is to reduce distressing feelings and help you cope and function better. Long-term therapy offers a more in-depth understanding of a problem, often based on how feelings in the present are related to past experiences. A comprehensive understanding of your underlying issues can bring about deeper, lasting changes and give you tools to cope better in the future.

My Therapeutic Approach

It has been my experience that successful therapy relies on an honest relationship based on open communication between the therapist and the patient. At times therapy may feel challenging, particularly when we discuss uncomfortable aspects of your life. Nonetheless, psychotherapy has been shown to be beneficial in most cases, resulting in a reduction of feelings of distress, providing solutions to specific problems, and helping to improve relationships. Many people who go through therapy come out feeling stronger. However, due to the exploratory nature of therapy, it is not possible to predict the outcome of your therapy or guarantee its success; evaluation of your progress will be part of our ongoing discussion.