Areas of Focus
Relationships & Intimacy
Communication, trust, closeness, and recurring conflict
Explore ↗Depression
Mood, motivation, self-worth, and daily life
Explore ↗Anxiety & Stress
Worry, stress, and everyday demands
Explore ↗Men’s Mental Health
Identity, connection, vulnerability, and expectations
Explore ↗Life Transitions
Change, grief, relationships, and a new direction
Explore ↗Approach to Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy offers time to discuss personal concerns, relationships, and recurring patterns. Sessions may focus on a current situation or consider experiences over time, depending on your interests and clinical needs.
Dr. Parisi has provided psychotherapy since 2002. Trained as both a psychiatrist and a marriage and family therapist, he brings experience with multiple therapeutic approaches to an individualized plan. His background includes work with individuals, couples, families, and groups, as well as teaching and clinical supervision.
Treatment may be focused and time-limited or involve longer-term exploration. The approach is discussed together and revisited with your feedback.
Medication and Psychotherapy
Some topics take time to discuss. When appropriate, medication may ease symptoms that make it difficult to participate in psychotherapy.
For some people, this may make reflection and conversation more manageable. Experiences vary, and the pace and focus of treatment are considered together.
Research in chronic depression has found that combining antidepressant medication with a structured psychotherapy may lead to faster remission than either treatment alone. The benefits and pace of treatment depend on the condition, the treatments used, and the individual.
Explore the Approaches
These traditions inform Dr. Parisi’s work:
Psychodynamic & insight-orientedExplore patterns beneath the surface
This approach examines how earlier relationships, unresolved feelings, and ways of protecting yourself may influence the present. Attention to what happens in therapy can also offer insight into how you relate to others. The work includes recognizing recurring dynamics, expressing difficult feelings, and considering different responses.
Cognitive behavioral (CBT)Work with thoughts and actions
This approach focuses on the connections among interpretations, emotions, and behavior. Sessions may involve examining assumptions, testing alternative perspectives, and practicing new responses. Between-session exercises can bring this work into everyday situations.
Acceptance & commitment (ACT)Move toward what matters
This approach considers your relationship with thoughts and feelings, attention to the present, and personal values. Sessions may explore choices in situations where discomfort is present.
Attachment-basedUnderstand closeness and distance
This approach looks at expectations about trust, support, and emotional availability. Sessions may explore patterns of closeness, distance, and reassurance within relationships.
Relational & interpersonalExamine the patterns between people
This approach considers communication, boundaries, emotional intimacy, and recurring conflict. The focus is on understanding how interactions unfold and practicing ways of relating that better reflect your needs and values.
Couples & family systemsConsider the relationship as a whole
This approach explores the roles, expectations, and patterns that develop within a couple or family. The aim is to understand the shared dynamic rather than assign one person responsibility for every problem. Conversations may address communication, trust, parenting, closeness, or decisions about the relationship.
Humanistic & person-centeredMake room for your own experience
This approach emphasizes your perspective, dignity, and capacity for growth. Sessions may consider what feels meaningful, how you see yourself, and the choices available to you.
Experiential & GestaltNotice what is happening now
This approach brings attention to feelings, bodily awareness, expression, and moment-to-moment experience. Depending on the treatment plan, reflective or experiential exercises may help explore emotions that are difficult to reach through explanation alone.
Jungian & analyticalExplore meaning and inner life
This approach uses reflection on personal themes, symbols, imagination, or dreams to explore identity and meaning. This approach can offer a language for parts of experience that are difficult to express directly.
Motivational interviewingWork through mixed feelings about change
This approach considers your reasons for change alongside concerns about leaving familiar patterns, with attention to your readiness and priorities.
Solution-focusedIdentify a useful next step
This approach starts with what you would like to be different. Sessions consider existing strengths, exceptions to a problem, and possible steps toward the goals you identify.
Trauma-informedWork with safety, choice, and pacing
This approach considers how painful experiences may affect trust, relationships, emotional responses, and a sense of control. The pace and focus are discussed together; you do not need to disclose every experience at the outset.
Culturally sensitive & integrativeKeep the approach individual
This approach considers your background, values, identity, and the context of your life. An integrative approach draws from more than one therapeutic tradition when that fits the agreed goals and clinical assessment.
Beginning Psychotherapy
What happens in the first sessions?
The first sessions cover your concerns, personal and treatment history, and hopes for therapy. They also offer time to ask questions and discuss a starting plan.
What if I do not know what I need?
You can begin with what feels difficult: a recurring conflict, a sense of being stuck, changes in mood, or uncertainty about the future. Finding words for the problem can be part of the work.
Can therapy and medication be combined?
They may be considered together or separately, based on your needs and assessment. Dr. Parisi can discuss both psychiatric and psychotherapy options. Coordination with another treating clinician can be arranged with your authorization.
How do we know whether the work is helping?
Goals may involve daily functioning, relationships, emotional awareness, or specific changes in behavior. Revisit those goals and discuss your experience as treatment progresses. The focus or approach can be reconsidered when needed.
Do you work with couples or families?
Dr. Parisi’s background includes couples and family work. Contact the practice to discuss your situation and treatment needs. The participants, purpose, and confidentiality expectations are clarified before beginning.
Further reading: NIMH guide to psychotherapy ↗