Dr. Yaron Shapira, PhD
Online Individual, Couples, and Family Therapy
What do I Specialize In?
I specialize in a variety of areas, including emotional and behavioral problems, crisis situations, anxiety and depression, difficulty in relationships, identity and personal development. After three years of living in Paris and working with expats, I have also become an expert in treating expats and multicultural couples.
For me, therapy is a combination of science and art. Science – that is, to offer clients the treatment that has been scientifically proven to be most effective in dealing with the challenges they face. Art – that is, to feel the client and their unique needs, and to offer them a tailor-made support. I see it as my obligation not only to reach good outcomes, but also to do it as quickly as possible - in order to respect the client's time and resources.
My professional style is direct and focused, this means that I do not only listen, but also actively intervene and point to areas that can be worked on.
As a doctoral student at Tel Aviv University. I studied how therapists should integrate psychological studies in their therapy sessions. For me, my doctorate research is a connection to the world of research, through which I learn about new findings and improve my ability to implement research findings on efficacy of treatments to my practice as a therapist.
Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) originated in the 1970s. It is usually a short treatment (several weeks to several months) and very effective. It is the most popular treatment today, in most of the world. According to CBT, the focus of treatment should not be what created the problem in the past, but what sustains the problem in the present time.
Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a relatively recent development, originating from CBT. It is a fusion of Buddhist principles with conservative cognitive behavioral therapy. It is very committed to the scientific principles of careful examination of effectiveness, but also incorporates spiritual dimensions of self-inquiry and meaning of life.
The goal of Couples and Family Therapy is to improve intimate relationships. The focus is usually on helping people understand and help each other. It is a powerful tool in mediation of communication problems and conflicts.
Parenting is one of the main tasks in the lives of most of us. Children are the most important thing to us. Our parenting has fateful implications for the way our children grow up, and for their ability to be healthy and make the most of their lives.
I did my bachelor’s degree in psychology with the thought of being a clinical psychologist. During my studies I was exposed to the field of clinical social work, and decided to continue my training in this field. These two fields are similar, but clinical social work is more attuned to seeing people as part of their environment, and their difficulties as related to their work, friends, families, and communities