Although the world is full of suffering, it is also full of the overcoming of it.
- Hellen Keller
Insight Brings Growth
Popular thinking can lead you to misunderstand your problems in many ways. I want you to know there is a reason you experience anxiety, depression and relationship problems.
When you understand your problems in the right light, your painful feelings will gradually resolve. You will grow into a broader sense of who you are and what your life can be.
The Heart of the Matter
Many patients are surprised at how quickly I help them get to the heart of the matter. My approach starts with taking the time to really understand who you are and what your life situation is.
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You will usually feel better within one to two sessions as you gain a sense of hope and support. As our work progresses, my aim is to facilitate deeper self-knowledge, relational health and fulfillment in all areas of life.
We Need to Talk
Therapy is a place to discuss the very personal thoughts and feelings that you may not have shared with anyone, with total confidence and privacy.
My role is to help you listen to your inner life more deeply. Whether you choose to work with me for a few sessions or many months depends entirely on your needs.
A few sessions at the right time in your life can have tremendous impact.
I regard it as the noblest task of psychotherapy in our times to untiringly serve the personal growth of the individual.
- C.G. Jung
About Dr. Michael Damian
Clinical Psychologist
SC License #1827
NJ License #6612
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Being a psychologist is a calling for me. I enjoy listening, connecting the not-so-obvious dots, and supporting people's growth. It's a field that includes philosophical, scientific and spiritual inquiry in its scope, with the aim of understanding the human condition and uplifting people's lives.
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I think most of our lives are fairly ordinary, and yet also hold extraordinary moments, great love and unexplored depths. In my work, I enjoy the relationship between the practical, ordinary aspects of life and the deeper aspects of the soul and unconscious.
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It is very poignant for me to witness patients make breakthroughs and discover who they are and how much richer and more exciting life can be. I feel honored to take part in sessions where people's lives are quietly and profoundly changed through the process of self-awareness.
Background
Prior to practicing psychology in Charleston, I held a very busy practice for three years at the New Jersey shore (Manasquan) where I own a beach house. I also practiced from 2008 to 2020 in northern California, where I did my doctoral training.
A Connecticut native, I graduated from the University of Connecticut in 1997 with a BA in Political Science summa cum laude. My university years included studying abroad in Amsterdam and interning at a foreign policy thinktank in Washington DC.
From there I worked in a civil law firm in Connecticut, and then as an editor at the National Geographic in our nation's capital. It was in Washington DC that I decided to become a psychologist and moved to the San Francisco bay area for my doctoral training.
My doctoral training was broad and rigorous. It included learning to diagnose, assess and treat the full range of mental health issues - at all ages. I practice classical, psychodynamic therapy, which I consider the gold standard. This approach emphasizes looking at the patient's overall life-stage development, traumas, family history, cultural background, lifestyle factors and their personality style and level of functioning. An understanding of personality disorders, personality types, and also the development of self-awareness is vital to my work.
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I am grateful to have had great mentors and supervisors who taught me the heart and soul, as well as the art and science of psychotherapy. These include Dr. Stewart Kiritz, Dr. Charlotte Whitaker Lewis, and Dr. John McLaughlin.
The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.
- Carl Jung
We have an inner life and an outer life. The inner life is mainly concerned with developing awareness, love and wisdom. These qualities integrate the psyche, improve our relationships and allow our most authentic self to express its gifts in the world.
Whether you are a more introverted or extraverted person, in your 20s or 60s, I am here to help you unlock the treasure of your true self so that you can live your best life.
The main way I do this is by listening. When you are deeply listened to, you will learn to really hear yourself, to know what is true for you and what to do about it. This is true empowerment.
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If you're ready to be heard, please get in touch today.