Marla Somova

I am a licensed psychologist with over 20 years of experience providing psychotherapy. Having spent many years working in university settings, I understand the needs and challenges of being a college student and navigating the stresses and demands of student life. I work best with clients who are struggling with anxiety and stress, depression, and family and/or other relationship concerns.

I believe that therapy is most effective in the context of a supportive and honest relationship in which we agree to work together to help you:

-- Gain a better understanding of your feelings and experiences
-- Explore aspects of your life or experience that you may have been avoiding
-- Identify patterns in your actions, thoughts, feelings, experiences, and relationships
-- Live a more authentic life, i.e., a life that is most consistent with your beliefs, values, and feelings

As I listen to your story, I will offer reflections and interpretations with the goal of increasing understanding of your feelings and experiences, both past and present. An honest, unflinching look at our own feelings and experiences helps us make the best decisions possible about our lives. While I believe that understanding oneself is of utmost importance, I also make use of skill-focused approaches such as cognitive-behavioral therapy to help with the process of behavior change.

While engaging in a process of self-reflection can be difficult at times, developing self-awareness helps you gain the skills to live an authentic life. In simple terms, the goal of therapy is to give you the skills to be able to check in with yourself about what you want and need and take the steps to meet those needs while at the same time nurturing and maintaining your relationships and social/vocational commitments.