My Approach

As a Therapist, my goal is to understand and empathize with my clients, identify where they are stuck, and help them achieve a fulfilling life.

The Masterson Approach

The Masterson Therapy approach has evolved from constant observation, empathy, and clinical response to the problems of my clients. It focuses on understanding clients’ feelings and identifying the root causes behind them. It integrates psychoanalytic and neurobiological theories of development, including self, and how it perceives others.

It connects the root causes of clients’ emotions and behaviors, incorporating development theory, attachment theory, object relation theory, neurobiological brain research theory, and psychology of self.

It is based on the therapist’s observation and reflection but also allows room for self-corrective tools. The Masterson Approach relies on the therapist’s skills and the client’s willingness to trust the therapist completely.

Mode of Therapy

Therapy can be conducted either online or face-to-face, depending on the client’s preference. However, I recommend online therapy for the following reasons:

Continuity: Therapy is a continuous process that requires consistency and commitment for effective results. To bring about positive changes in clients’ thoughts and behaviors, a therapist needs to deeply understand their psyche. Weekly sessions, preferably twice a week for many clients, allow for continuity in therapy, and online mode provides that flexibility for both the therapist and the client.

Feasibility: Many clients may feel overwhelmed due to prior commitments, stress, deadlines, and work-life balance. Traveling for in-person sessions may hinder the continuity of therapy. Online sessions are more feasible and flexible as they can be conducted from anywhere in the world.

Accessibility: Since there is a strong bond between the therapist and the client, clients may prefer to continue with the same therapist even when they travel for study or work. Online therapy is easily accessible, allowing clients to participate from the comfort of their own space and as per their availability. Some of my clients continue therapy with me even when they are in different countries.

Steps in Therapy

Step 1: The first step is towards establishing a rapport, building a case study with all the essential details that the client can remember, which is mostly just at the tip of the awareness. There are many repressed feelings and memories which need to be worked through before the client can be somewhat recovered and be able to lead a functional life.

Step 2: the therapist will throw a wrench in the behavior that is causing the problem for the client, by either using confrontations or mirroring interpretations as per her diagnosis.
In a couple of sessions, if the intervention used is well integrated the client will make an effort to change his/her/their behavior.
Change in behavior is going to make the client feel sad or unhappy. He/she/they will then try to revert back to the dysfunctional behavior. The therapist will again intervene by probing into the feelings of the client which are pushing him/her /them into sabotaging behavior. This should lead to repressed memories which when worked through will give the client a better understanding of self and help him/her/them to change behavior. This is a time taking process and is repetitive in nature.

A Therapist vs CBT Practitioner

As a therapist, I focus on treating the Disorders of Self that keep clients stuck and unable to move forward. For example, a middle-aged obese woman may struggle with controlling her food intake despite knowing the health risks.
Another example is of a young man who said that he has no motivation at work. When asked to talk about it, he shared that he had a strong compulsion to agree and please the boss. Even if he had differing views, he would not share for fear of rejection.

Still another girl would act out with other men. Whenever confronted with the consequences of the behaviour, she would try to change the topic and insist that she had something else to share which she felt was very compelling Various factors contribute to such self-disorders, including ego weakness, poor ego defenses, self-sacrifice for others, and abandonment depression with its six components of abandonment such as suicidal depression, rage, panic, emptiness and void, hopelessness, helplessness and guilt. This requires emotional work that goes beyond the scope of CBT or DBT practitioners.

Principles of Therapy