I am a licensed psychologist in San  Francisco and have been practicing, teaching, and doing research on  psychotherapy for some 40 years. In addition to my private practice, I  am a clinical professor in the department of psychiatry at University of  California San Francisco School of Medicine, a past president of the  North American chapter of the Society for Psychotherapy Research, and a  past president of the International Society for Psychotherapy Research.  (Click here to see my complete CV)

The  topic that has most intrigued me throughout my career as a psychologist  is the fundamental question of how psychotherapy works. I began  addressing this question in my doctoral dissertation research by framing  the inquiry in terms of how patients work in psychotherapy and how  therapists help (or hinder) their patients’ efforts. I have been  studying, teaching, and writing about this topic ever since.   Having a  firm footing in practice, research, and teaching has been enormously  beneficial: my practice keeps my research grounded in clinical reality,  research keeps my practice grounded in scientific evidence, and teaching  leads to greater clarity and precise thinking in both arenas.