Dr. Goldstone's Clinical Psychology Practice

Dr. Mildred Goldstone offers individual, group, couple and family psychotherapy and hypnotherapy to help people of all ages resolve their difficulties with such issues as depression, anxiety, stress, loss, grief, self-esteem, assertiveness, sexuality, motivation, personal identity, relationships, communication, codependence, life transitions, career and educational goals, and spirituality.

Dr. Goldstone's therapeutic and consultative work focuses on:

• Using psychodynamic, psychoanalytic and object relations concepts to
   help clients deal with emotional and interpersonal problems.
 
• Helping individuals become more self-aware, relational and insightful in
   their intimate relationships.
 
• Believing in the uniqueness of each person and his/her need for
   integration of mind/body/spirit, as well as integration of the libidinal
   (expressive and lively) and the antilibidinal (protective and restrictive)
   parts of the personality.
 
• Valuing the usefulness of hypnosis, meditation, imagery and relaxation

   in resolving emotional difficulties.
 
• Having special interest in marital and family concerns, Dr. Goldstone
   uses Bowen's Family Systems Theory to reduce the anxiety in the family
   system and create a new equilibrium so that one family member is not
   carrying the anxiety for the whole family.
 
• Assisting families in dealing with parent/child difficulties, sibling rivalry,
   conflicts between spouses or partners, challenges faced by elderly
   family members, and life transitions.

Dr. Goldstone uses her expertise to achieve the following:

• Helps people deal with the psychological aspects of
   physical illness.
 
• Assists clients in dealing with fear of death and dying,
   physical pain, compliance with treatment, changes in
   lifestyle and physical capacity caused by physical illness,
   and communication with family members and medical
   personnel during episodes of physical illness.
 
• Helps clients cope with such medical problems as
   diabetes, hypertension, multiple sclerosis, headache,
   cancer, heart disease, asthma, chronic pain and tinnitus.
 
• Helps mothers and fathers deal with pregnancy, childbirth, lactation and
   weaning.
 
• Offers a holistic approach to understanding human nature, which
   acknowledges that people are whole, complex, unique creatures in which
   body/mind/spirit are in constant interaction and basically inseparable.

Therapeutic Modalities

To help individuals, groups, couples and families achieve greater happiness, emotional depth and maturity, Dr. Goldstone uses a variety of modalities and techniques including:
 
• Traditional, insight-oriented individual
   psychotherapy focused on object 

   relations and family system concepts. 

• Group psychotherapy
• Couple and family psychotherapy
• Premarital counseling
• Hypnosis
• Meditation, imagery and relaxation
• Desensitization
• Assertiveness training
• Paradox, humor and metaphor
• Play therapy
• Therapeutic interventions based on music, art, drama and literature
• Psychoeducational group

Dr. Goldstone's Interest in the Arts 
 
Dr. Goldstone is very interested in the arts. She leads seminars for colleagues on classical music and opera, emphasizing the object relations issues expressed in the music of various composers, from Baroque through 20th century music. She believes that music is very therapeutic; as it energizes, inspires, calms and relaxes the listener. A piano player since the age of five, Dr. Goldstone uses her piano skills to entertain people in Nursing/Assisted Living Homes, at parties, and at other public events. She enjoys performing and plays all kinds of music (classical, pop, jazz, and folk) for her audiences’ enjoyment and inspiration.

Dr. Goldstone also leads seminars for colleagues on psychoanalytic concepts found in the works of Shakespeare. These concepts include attachment, libidinal, regressed and antilibidinal ego states, potential space, true/false self issues, schizoid and depressive dynamics, and reparation. She also utilizes Family Systems Therapy concepts, such as individuation, confusional techniques, paradox, humor, intra/inter – generational dynamics, and over-functioning. These psychological concepts are readily apparent in Shakespeare’s works, from “A Midsummer Nights Dream”, “Julius Caesar”, “Henry V” to “The Tempest” and beyond.
 
The theorists and clinicians whose work is studied in the seminars include Freud, Klein, Fairbairn, Guntrip, Balint, Bowen and Friedman; an interesting combination of psychoanalytic and family systems thinkers. The richness of the material (music and literature) makes for fascinating research, study and discussion among the healing professionals in the seminars.
 
 
Dr. Goldstone's Organizing Services

Another area of interest for Dr. Goldstone involves helping people who are feeling overwhelmed by clutter in their homes and offices, have hoarding habits, and/or are too busy to plan and organize their “stuff”, which accumulates and is a constant source of anxiety and frustration. She has helped many people develop organizing strategies and ways of implementing them by sorting, storing, donating, and even throwing away their “stuff”!
 
 
Dr. Goldstone's Provision of Respite Care  
 
Dr. Goldstone provides respite care for children, senior adults, and people who are chronically ill or recovering from acute illness and/or surgery. She provides companionship, entertainment and supervision while regular care-givers are away, giving them a chance to get some much needed
relaxation and recreation. When they return to care-giving, they feel a sense of self-renewal. Dr. Goldstone is available for respite care on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. She particularly likes working with infants and the elderly.
 

In Summary...

Dr. Goldstone strives to be respectful of people’s sensitivities, to relate to them as unique and worthy individuals, to be non-threatening in her approach and interactions, and to be accepting of their perspectives and priorities. She always considers it a privilege to assist people, who are willing to open up themselves and their lives in order to receive and make use of healing. Furthermore, Dr. Goldstone is interested in helping potential patients find a healer who can help them if she is not able to do so herself. She feels that net-working and referral efforts are important elements of her work as a healer.

5225 Connecticut Ave. NW, Suite 705, Washington DC 20015  (202) 363-9322