Victor Bloomberg

Hello, I am Victor Bloomberg, EdD, LCSW and I have been a licensed therapist since 1991. I use a tried-and-true way: Be caring and earn trust; Pay attention and listen; and Confirm understanding before giving feedback. My specialties are grief, depression, anxiety, and relationship issues.

My approach

Counseling supports your efforts to solve a problem, big or small. But, it is not for advice. Why not? Because the goal is to recognize your strengths, clarify options and make a plan. Counseling provides a safe space to talk about things that matter, to resolve a specific situation. Psychotherapy, like counseling, is grounded in safety, trust, empathy, and respect. The focus of psychotherapy is different. There are patterns rooted in the past. There are different kinds of psychotherapy. Each focuses on issues that reappear. It is like being on an unwanted merry-go-round. Broadly speaking, psychotherapy that focuses on the individual can be sorted into three groups: psychodynamic, relational, and cognitive-behavioral. Some emphasize community such as feminist, intersectional, and narrative. All of these are forms of talk therapy and each can use art, movement, meditation, and so on. I tailor counseling and psychotherapy to you.

My focus

I work with adults who are facing loss, sadness, worries, big changes in life, and relationship issues. Some are new to counseling and psychotherapy. Others have learned from prior therapists and have decided some more will help. Sometimes people use words to confuse or manipulate and other times words heal or liberate. Sometimes fancy words cover up a lack of knowledge, understanding, or skill. Other times jargon is for members of a club and outsiders are mystified by it (psycho-babble is like that.) I learn by listening to you. I support your healing by caring. I use words that you understand. This is my purpose, my joy.

My communication style

Sometimes any of us might: Doubt ourselves, Face intense challenges, Grapple with an ethical dilemma. Imagine the results of counseling with me: Calmness from self-confidence, Empowerment from knowledge, and Progress in your life. I train and support therapists. One of them described working with me this way: "One of the things I like about consulting with Victor is that he's a creative thinker. When I feel stuck, he offers a slight shift in perspective. Victor reflects the strengths of peoplewhoh come through the stories I tell. The storytelling becomes collaborative as we think out loud together. I appreciate that he has through the years noted my strengths and this reinforces me. Victor's relational in the moment, he accepts me as a person which is the same thing that our clients need from us. I appreciateit when he brings in psychodynamic themes such as recurring patterns. And Victor is really good on the ethical stuff with challenging situations. Sometimes it is difficult to see the forest from the trees, but then he mirrors back to me in his authentic way and it becomes clear what to do and how to be."

My journey to mental healthcare

I was in psychotherapy years ago. I was a cook, rising in the ranks, and I was stressed out and unhappy. I didn't know what to do. My therapist said to me, "You're good at this." I replied, "What's this?" She rolled her eyes and smiled. I said, "Oh, you mean therapy." She smiled. That's when I decided to leave the cooking and get my Master's in Social Work. The year was 1982. I came of age during the life and times of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He said, Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love, This vision is my North Star.

My goals for you

In successful therapy, the direction of the work is defined by the client's goals in every session. These goals lead to methods such as life review, reflection on recent events, stress management, etc. Often, once I've confirmed with you that I get, what you are experiencing, I'll ask, "Would you like me to take the problem-solving path (counseling) or the reflecting on your life patterns (psychotherapy)." We go back and forth between sessions and within a session on emphasis, we always start with your priority. You might want something to do that will relieve an immediate challenge or you could want to understand how the past is affecting you now. You have gotten this far in life with all of your strengths. Together we figure out which ones to build and expand, and I'll offer things to try that might be new for you. Either way, you let me know how it went. It is a cycle: Plan, Do, Assess - Rinse and Repeat.

My first session with you

Total Attention is the most basic thing that frees us to heal. You get this from me in the first and every session. One result is my empathy for you. What is empathy? Okay, empathy is getting it, what you are feeling without me being overwhelmed. With my empathy comes compassion. What is compassion? Compassion is supporting you in your efforts to cope without shame or a guilt trip. During the first session, my priority is you and not forms. I'm curious whether or not you've had counseling before - what did you like (or not) about it? You might have questions for me, ask anytime. The first session starts us off on solid footing - we are forming a team and working together for your well-being.