These are the questions people often ask before we begin.
If your question isn’t here, call or email, and I’ll answer it directly.
My office is at 333 Westchester Avenue, Suite E-106, in White Plains, on the border with Harrison. The entrance is on North Street.
If you’re coming from US-287, the Bristal Assisted Living facility (305 North Street) will be on your right.
I do. I use a HIPAA-compliant platform called Doxy that allows full audio and video, document sharing, and can accommodate more than one person at a time. I see clients in person and online, with a preference for meeting in person when it works for you.
Give me a call and leave a message, or send an email to Mark@SirkinAdvisors.com. I’ll get back to you, and we’ll set up a time to talk.
I’m happy to spend 15 minutes getting to know each other and seeing if the chemistry feels right. There’s no charge and no obligation.
Sessions through insurance typically run between 50 and 60 minutes. If you aren’t using insurance, we can be more flexible and schedule longer meetings.
I work with all ages except young children.
I work with men, women, couples, and families in all sorts of configurations: siblings, adult children and their parents, and families that work together in a business. That last one is a specialty of mine. I spent years as a business consultant before and alongside my clinical work, so I understand the legal, financial, and interpersonal pieces of a family business as one connected system.
I almost always begin with an assessment, formal or informal, that takes one to four sessions. It helps us focus on the right issues before we decide where to go next.
Good therapy has a beginning, a middle, and an end. The beginning is the assessment and a treatment plan. The middle is the therapy itself. The end is the part where you take techniques with you to reinforce what you’ve built. I won’t promise magic or instant change, but anything worthwhile requires work, and people do feel better after working with me.
We’ll spend the first session getting to know each other and stepping back for an overview. After that I meet with each of you individually, then we reconvene to focus on your priorities. Often I’ll send a relationship assessment home for you to complete and review together, so we can decide where to aim for some fast wins alongside a longer-term plan.
It’s normal to feel nervous walking in. My job is to make that first conversation feel safe.
I’ve been a clinical psychologist for over 40 years. I hold a Master’s and a Doctoral degree in clinical psychology, plus a post-doctoral certificate in Organizational Consulting and Executive Coaching.
I’m a Fellow of the American Psychological Association, where I take part in governance and present at the annual meetings. I’m also a member of the New York State Psychological Association. I teach and supervise students at Long Island University and the Family Institute of Westchester, and I’m trained in the Gottman Method, Levels 1 and 2.
Yes. I’m a licensed psychologist in the state of New York.
The setting is nice and cozy, and the lighting is soft.
Only if you want to take a nap!
Don’t worry, there are plenty of tissues.
Kleenex, of course.
Only if they’re relevant, but I’m pretty much an open book.
People show up in many ways. I start with where you are.
I listen carefully to what’s going on and to what your hopes and dreams really are. If your difficulties involve other people, I can guide you, and them, toward a more solid foundation and a better relationship.
Reach out today, and let’s see if working together is a good fit.
