Elizabeth Goldstein, Ph.D.
Clinical Psychologist - Doctorate
3 Main St., Suite 216, Burlington, VT 05401
(802) 651-7502
[email protected]
pronouns: she/her
I am a clinical psychologist providing individual and couples therapy for adults
with a range of concerns including:
- anxiety and depression interfering with daily life
- relationship issues
- transitional stress
- professional and occupational stress
- recovering from trauma
- personal development, resiliency, authenticity, mindfulness, and flourishing
I also provide supervision and consultation to providers and professional organizations.
Biography
I received my doctorate from the University of Maine, the state in which my predominantly French Canadian family has maintained roots for many generations. My doctoral dissertation focused on the cultural adaptation of psychotherapy for panic attacks in a Passamaquoddy community, reflecting my multicultural values. I moved to Vermont to complete a generalist clinical internship at the White River Junction Veterans Affairs Medical Center, and ended up spending the next 10 years there, helping individuals, couples, and groups with a variety of problems. I completed postdoctoral studies in disaster mental health and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) at the National Center for PTSD, and subsequently held several positions as a staff psychologist at the White River Junction Veterans Affairs (VA) Medical Center and the Colchester Community-based Outpatient Clinic, including Director of PTSD Services, and Director of Mental Health Services at Colchester CBOC. In 2013, I made the switch to private practice in Burlington, VT, offering psychotherapy, consultation, and supervision.. Adjunct faculty appointments have included the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth. the University of Vermont, and Antioch New England University.
More recently, I have expanded my interests in creative ways. In 2018, I completed a two year training program through the Vermont Institute for the Psychotherapies which enhanced my knowledge of long-term depth psychotherapy. Also in 2018, I joined the Board of Directors of Speaking Place, a non-profit organization dedicated to protecting and reviving indigenous languages at risk of being lost. In addition, I have developed an interest in the relationship between psychology and the arts, joining the Vermont Association for Psychoanalytic Studies Applied Psychoanalysis Committee, and in 2019 became Chair. It is extremely satisfying to expand my skills and find new meaningful applications for them.
On a personal note, meditation practice, particularly zen training, has been a huge source of resilience for me. Biking, hiking, swimming, paddling, yoga, reading, playing poker, attending art exhibitions and stage performances, and cooking organic meals with friends and family are some of my favorite activities.
Approach to Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is fundamentally a healing relationship. Ultimately, the client is the expert on their own life. My role as a therapist is to be there for my clients and help them explore, using my skills and knowledge to help increase awareness, reduce suffering, and promote flourishing in life. For success, both the client and therapist must share in mutual respect and a commitment to work together. For the most part, I believe it is important to choose a specific form of psychotherapy to use as a clear guiding road map, and then integrate others based on the needs of the client. Primary forms of psychotherapy that I use are cognitive behavioral (focusing on ways in which ingrained patterns of behavior and thinking are affecting daily life), psychoanalytic (exploring unconscious patterns and how long-term ways of being in relationship affect one's experience of self and others), and systems oriented (analyzing the context of problems in terms of their function in the groups one is part of). In addition, many clients experience a variety of benefits from increasing exercise and mindfulness practices in their lives. Ultimately, the form of psychotherapy will be dictated by the client's personal goals. I love talking about the psychotherapy process, and welcome opportunities to consult with individuals on the phone or in person regarding different forms of psychotherapy and how they might be beneficial. On a philosophical level, I believe that psychotherapy can help this world immensely. If each of us is able to do what we can to heal our suffering, and and increase our ability to use the skills and talents we have, this will have a positive personal effect, and also will benefit those around us. I see it as part of the evolution of our species. However, I do not see psychotherapy as the only path to personal and social growth, but rather, one path of many that have merit.
To discuss whether I might be a good match for your needs and to schedule an initial meeting please contact me at the phone number or email address at the top of the page.
Mandatory Disclosure Information
State law requires all licensed psychologists practicing in Vermont to provide information about what constitutes unprofessional conduct in Vermont Statutes and how to file a complaint with the Office of Professional Regulation within the Office of the Secretary of State. For more comprehensive ethical information, consult the most recent version of the American Psychological Association Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct.
State law also requires all providers practicing in Vermont to provide a Good Faith Estimate Notice to explain your rights and protections against surprise medical bills. You can find my Good Faith Estimate Notice attached below.
| good_faith_estimate_notice.pdf |