Openshaw Stephen Ph. D.

Information may not be reliable

I am a Psychologist and I view myself as a consultant to the clients I work with. People come to me with a variety of concerns or problems in need of solutions... I am a practitioner of brief, solution-focused therapy. The emphasis is not on problems but on solutions. With this positive focus, change occurs more quickly and most people see me for only 8 to 12 sessions. Most of my time is spent working with individuals or couples with relationship concerns, where I emphasize effective communication, with individuals for stress management, or with individuals or groups in organizations seeking solutions (BusinesSolutions). I also have a general practice and see people for depression and anxiety, including OCD and panic disorder. I worked for many years at St. Jude Medical Center in neuromuscular and cardiac rehabilitation and continue to see people experiencing acute or chronic medical problems. I am still a member of the Medical Staff at St. Jude Medical Center. You can pursue these links for more information about these areas or my training.

I am a Clinical Psychologist... clinical psychology is the branch of psychology devoted to the study and practice of psychotherapy. I offer psychotherapy and consultation services through my practice. Psychologists perform many different roles as scientists, educators, administrators, consultants and clinicians. Detailed descriptions of what a psychologist is and what psychologists do are available from the American Psychological Association (APA), the California Psychological Association (CPA), and the Orange County Psychological Association (OCPA). Please visit these sites for more information about psychologists and psychology-related resources.

I tend to be very casual at my office... my office looks more like a living room than an office. If you come to see me I want you to be comfortable, and I work to facilitate this. I am a provider for many of the insurance companies in the area, and fees will be established over the phone before you come in. During the first session I will provide you with information about the therapy process, including the nature and limits of confidentiality. We will decide if we want to work together and if I think I can be of help to you. If I believe you can be better served by someone else I will help you to make contact with that person. If we agree to work together we will begin to clarify expectations for therapy, including what you hope to accomplish, and I will probably make some initial suggestions that I hope will be helpful. By the second session we will develop the goals for therapy. These will describe how you would like things to look (realistically) at the end of therapy. We then work to accomplish these goals, and when you do (or are satisfied with your progress) you fire me! As a consultant I look forward to you no longer needing my services...