Dr. Robert Shafer
Marriage & Family
Therapist, Ph.D.
drshafer@robertshaferphd.com
(805) 969-7474
About My Work
All individuals are entitled to understand
themselves and enjoy the freedom to behave authentically in daily
life. In order to accomplish this, they need to resolve
the inhibitions that betray their strengths. Because each person
is unique, there can be no set formula for helping people find
solutions and pursue their goals. As a therapist I focus on the
particular circumstances presented, and help construct personalized
goals by carefully and non-judgmentally attending to what is
being presented. I endeavor to respond in a direct, supportive,
and interactive manner, always from an empathic perspective. I
believe that this is my greatest strength as a therapist. Empathic
understanding helps people gain confidence and self esteem, and
establishes the foundation of trust which makes growth possible.
In addition to my doctorate in clinical psychology,
I have trained in contemporary psychoanalysis and am in the process
of earning a second doctoral degree. I have trained interns
and taught therapists at the graduate level here in Santa Barbara
for more than ten years.
About Contemporary Psychoanalysis
Contemporary psychoanalysis is a psychotherapeutic
method which explores the client's unique, subjective experience
in order to make sense of it in a way which is both deeply meaningful
and healing. A wide range of people can benefit from
this approach including adults, adolescents, children, families,
and couples. It is a flexible mode of treatment which helps
in resolving emotional problems, relieving psychological distress,
and developing intimate relationships with others, and is a valuable
avenue for self-discovery and personal growth.
An analyst trained in contemporary psychoanalysis
focuses on helping the patient understand how past experiences
- - the attachments, separations, and losses which have occurred
in early life - determine current-day contexts of living, working,
and loving. Though derived from the discoveries of Sigmund
Freud which were made a century ago, contemporary psychoanalysis
is based on scientific research in child development and neurobiology
and is an advanced method of psychotherapeutic treatment. Unlike
the picture of a bearded professor listening in neutral silence
while the patient lies on a couch, contemporary psychoanalysis
is an interactive conversation in which therapist and client
collaborate together in understanding the psychological patterns
which are causing the patient problems.
Focus on the here-and-now of an individual's
experiences and relationships in the context of the
supportive understanding of the analyst facilitates the
development of new awareness and insight which begins to
transform even long-standing and intractable patterns of
painful experience.
Years in Practice: 25+ Years
Average Cost (per session): $150-$199 Sliding Scale
Accepts Insurance
Qualifications
Graduate School: Cambridge Graduate School of Psychology
Year Graduated: 1984
Institute Of Contemporary Psychoanalysis, Los Angeles
California license # MFT 19148
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