“My treatment philosophy is grounded in the firm belief that nobody knows what is better for any given individual than that individual. In order to ensure that each person is able to discover and indeed explore the issues that they are experiencing – as well as the answers they have within them – I strive to create an environment that is safe, warm and non-judgmental. In this manner, the therapeutic process becomes one of openness and collaboration wherein ideas of confrontation and superiority have no place. I endeavor to remove any taint of stigma from therapy by recognizing that everyone has struggles and difficulties to manage in their lives, and that this does not make them broken or defective, but rather, human. Using this as a starting point, therapy becomes a forum for discussing not just depression and anxiety, but also any challenges faced by an individual, (internal or external) be they issues of grief and loss, existential angst, relationship difficulties, fears, problems with the social environment or simply questions of how one sees oneself within the world that we all share.”
Dr. Kender has been trained in the following modalities; Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, Interpersonal and Humanistic approaches as well as a number of Eastern and Western Philosophies.
Dr. Kender has extensive experience treating:
-
Depression/anxiety disorders
-
Severe and persistent mental illness
-
Trauma
-
Adolescents (age 15 and up)
-
Substance use
-
HIV/A.I.D.s issues
-
Gay/lesbian issues
-
Communication/relationship problems
- Many other mental disorders and life issues.