Most of us were raised in a nuclear family, regardless of the makeup of that family. Many of us had a combination of mother, father, and siblings, often with step-parents, step-siblings, and half-siblings as well. Many also were raised in single parent homes and experienced our parent’s dating partners as part of this family from which we came. For the vast majority of us, one issue stands true: our families of origin SHAPED us. We may be aware of some of the ways they influenced us, but we cannot be fully aware of all the ways we were impacted by them. Because we cannot see all of the impact on us from this relational matrix called our family, we have blind spots. For many of us these blind spots cause significant harm: unconsciously we choose paths for ourselves that bring a significant degree of suffering to us and to those closest to us.

What psychoanalytic therapy can offer is the opportunity to SEE how we have been shaped by these forces, by helping us to become aware of just why we are the way we are. It is difficult to change that which we have not yet named or acknowledged. If you have ever wondered why you turned out the way you did – and how – I invite you to invest in this incredible journey of self-discovery.