Robert Walls

In my 20s and early 30s I worked as a chef and restaurant owner in NYC and Portland, OR. About 10 years ago I decided to shift to a more explicitly helping profession I’d always felt drawn to. While pursuing a graduate degree in social work at Fordham University, I interned at the wonderful William Alanson White Institute in NYC for two years. Then, after 4 years working in a group practice, I chose to start my own private practice, specializing in alcohol abuse and addiction.

I’m a big believer in the (data-supported) idea that the relationship itself is the foundation of any worthwhile therapy. From there I hold to a client-centered approach. Rather than offering some sort of rigid set of methods, I commit to understanding each client and letting that guide the work. I specialize in alcoholism and addiction, but work well with a variety of populations. As heavy as therapy can be at times, I love to leave room for laughs when the moment allows.

Any therapist falls somewhere on the spectrum between distant/detached observer to connected, authentic human being. Without feeling understood and “seen”, I don’t think a client can expect to get much out of therapy. Once that connection is established, we can work collaboratively on areas of focus and/or goals. Collaborative is the key word here. Like many things in life, therapy is a place where the more you put into it, the more you will get out of it.