Dr. Sandra Altshuler

I have been a mental health social work clinician for 40 years. I'm also an adoptive mother, wife, grandmother, sister, aunt, pet lover and friend.

I earned my MSW in 1985 and my PhD (Social Work) in 1996. I've worked in varied settings, including public schools, child welfare, primary health care, criminal justice, and academia.

I use evidence-based practices, including Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness, Trauma Informed Therapy, Problem-Solving/Solution-Focused and EMDR (PTSD).

My approach to therapy is warm, direct, professional, practical and honest. Together, we develop a genuine, caring relationship from which to build your resilience and coping skills in order to enhance your inherent strengths.

My approach is grounded in trauma-informed, practical problem-solving. I rely on the combination of research and both of our combined personal expertise and experience to guide the therapeutic process. I occasionally use humor to defuse stress.

You can expect to identify goals for treatment collaboratively and guidance for how to achieve them. I often provide ideas/tools/skills that clients can practice at home.

EMDR clients can expect careful build-up to engagement in the process, ensuring emotional safety throughout.

Therapy is not always clean, easy or painless, but I guarantee that I walk the path beside you every step of the way. Being invited into your private struggles is a sacred trust that I will never violate.