Introspect Psychology
We promote an inclusive, safe, and sex-positive environment for adult clients seeking individual therapy.
Adults
English and Romanian
At the foundation of any psychotherapy is a human encounter. This foundation is built on trust that is facilitated by your therapist’s empathy, consistency, and a certain kind of relational finesse and authenticity. Only after that, one is looking at clinical skills and techniques.
My approach is:
Backed by science, not just guessing – by using psychological testing and properly diagnosing, we make efforts in the right direction and choose proper interventions
Psychodynamic/ psychoanalytic – how do you use defenses and what hurts, why, how, and since when? Indeed, our childhood and the past matter even when we grow up.
Relational – from the way you attach and relate, you tell a story
Trauma-focused – trauma shifts one’s internal compass significantly. Without a gentle re-calibration, no real growth can happen
Emotion-focused – emotions are adaptive sources of resilience that form the core of our human existence
Process-oriented – rather than seeking to check off boxes (“fix” symptoms), we know that any growth is a process that takes time
Experiential – from the “here-and-now” experiences, we learn to be mindful and attuned
Culturally-informed – people’s identities are so complex that we cannot fit any one individual in a tiny box, so we need the larger perspective of your tribe
Existential – life is larger than its separate parts, but it is limited – how do we make (the best) sense of it?
Mindful – present, intentional, observant
Therapy is a complex process that requires your commitment. It can be difficult as it may stir deep unresolved feelings and conflicts. Conversely, you may quickly begin to feel optimistic and ready to “start anew,” but it is not advisable to make any major changes during therapy. Hence, being in therapy can feel like hard work (and it is!), as it involves your attention and effort not only during the therapy-hour, but also outside of it. Hopefully, you will start to gain a greater sense of well-being, emotional connectedness and love, and trust. You may gain insights and become more emotionally attuned. Therapy can help you resolve internal conflicts and become more knowlegeble and accepting of who you are, regardless of self- or other-imposed standards. It can be, indeed, freeing!
Adults only
Comprehensive Psychodiagnostic Assessments (DSM-5-TR)
Pre-therapy Assessments (premium for therapy)
Diagnostic Consultation
Psychoeducational Assessments (adults only)
Important notice!
Assessments for INDIVIDUAL purposes only!
We are not equipped to offer medico-legal, custody or forensic assessments for third-parties!
We can diagnose or differentiate between most clinical syndromes and disorders: mood (depression and bipolar) and anxiety, adjustment and stress-related symptoms, sleep and eating problems, sexuality and relationships, substance or alcohol use
Personality traits, styles and types
Adult learning disabilities (reading, writing, spelling, or math).
Psychological assessments are complex processes of diagnostic data gathering. They usually involve a clinical interview with a psychologist, use of psychometric or psychological testing, and corroborating information from other sources (e.g., significant others). By law, psychologists are the only professionals who could diagnose mental health disorders by use of psychological testing, which requires a high level of training and expertise.
A comprehensive psychodiagnostic assessment is intended at identifying clinical disorders (e.g., Major Depressive Disorder, Substance Use Disorder) and personality clusters (Avoidant, Borderline) using the DSM-5-TR classification system. This helps in determining severity of symptoms, prognosis, and treatment recommendations with a high degree of accuracy.
Before you start treatment, we highly recommend undergoing a pre-therapy assessment. This involves a shorter and less costly psychological evaluation and testing than a full or comprehensive assessment. However, much like medical investigations are needed before starting any treatment, this is a very good idea that will guide recommendations and inform interventions before you engage in therapy! Although this would add some costs to your treatment in the beginning, it also means that your treatment will be informed by science and psychometrics, not just guessing or clinical judgments (which can sometimes might not be sufficient to make a confident diagnosis). A pre-therapy assessment is particlalrly important, i mandatory, for clients who have multiple symptoms and areas of difficulty.
Diagnostic consultation, on the other hand, is the least involved assessment service that helps with identifying treatment options and resources without the need for a diagnosis. For example, if you need a quick interview to gain clarity about your anxiety symptoms and the best treatment available, this is the service for you! We can recommend best treatments, help you navigate the complex mental health system, access resources, or provide a personalized list of referrals.
A psycho-educational assessment is also a very involved, comprehensive assessment of cogntive and academic abilities that helps identify a Learning Disability, such as Dyslexia or Acalculia. We only provide LD assessments for adults, not including ADHD or ASD (Autism Spectrum Disorder).
Call or contact us directly to inquire about psychological assessments and costs. You do not need a referral and can request this service directly.
A psychological assessment involves several stages varying in duration and difficulty, depending on purpose and the referral question. It includes a clinical interview, psychological testing, and recommendations based on the diagnosis.
A client consultation entails an interview and sometimes quick screeners, to aid in forming a quick but reliable diagnostic impression. This prevention method will avoid aggravation of your problems and ensure prompt intervention.
My theoretical and professional interests include clinical supervision, which resulted in the developement of a unique and innovative approach. I first developed and discussed this theoretical model as a Minor Area Paper (2010), a requirement for completion of doctoral studies, under the supervision of Dr. Leslie Greenberg, my mentor for over a decade. In 2016, this supervision model was recognized and published by the American Psychological Association and became part of a series of books on supervision (“Essentials” for the major therapeutic approaches). This was published in 2016 by the American Psychological Association under the title Supervision Essentials for Emotion-Focused Therapy.
Supervision Essentials for Emotion-Focused TherapyWhen it comes to the practice of supervision, my attention goes to laying a strong foundation of professionalism: this means helping supervisees develop or hone their psychotherapy, assessment, and diagnostic skills while also becoming increasingly aware, confident, and competent in applying ethical laws, standards, and guidelines. My supervisory approach is process-experiential and relational, drawing on emotion-focused therapy and the psychodynamic/ psychoanalytic traditions to ensure an in-depth understanding of personality, process-experiential and relational aspects of both the supervisees and their patients, and of course, the dynamic interplay with the supervisor.
I offer careful oversight of supervisee's work and direct feedback while also guiding toward increased independence and self-monitoring. The ability to work independently, flexibility, and high motivation for learning are essential. Supervision is done with recorded materials. While supervision in larger clinics offers the advantage of volume, administrative assistance, and operationalized processes, I tend to focus on ensuring quality and a caring, more attentive approach to supervisee’s development and their patients’ care.
Unlike large clinics or other practices, I offer supervision to a very select number of candidates at a time. Only M.A. and Ph.D. psychology students on track to becoming registered with the College of Psychologists, or licensed Clinical Psychologists (Autonomous, various populations, or Supervised practice) will be considered. My areas of competence are clinical and counselling psychology for adults.
I encourage all interested candidates to apply. I specifically want to hear from those who have encountered visible or invisible (systematic barriers) to personal and professional growth. Internationally trained professionals are also encouraged to apply.
If interested, please submit your CV and a letter of intent describing your interests, goals, and some hopes you hold from working with me at info@drtarba.com.
I also offer clinical consultation to fellow mental health professionals, such as psychologists, psychiatrists, psychotherapists, or social workers. In doing so, I can help with clarifying or working through complex clinical cases, ethical dilemmas, or personal challenges impacting your professional performance (e.g., feeling stuck, countertransferential reactions, or difficulties implementing self-care).
