John Eichenberger (he/him/his)

Over the years I have developed and led groups and couples, exploring relationship patterns, understanding the influence of life experiences on relationships, and creating change plans to address what is not working.

While many people (therapists included) see personality disorders as unsolvable problems, I look for the person behind all that. I seek to understand what makes people thrive, and what gets in the way of their most fulfilling life. I aim for helping anyone do better, reach higher, and find greater joy. My extensive background and experience with DBT is especially helpful for this goal.

Substance Abuse in all its forms is a disease, not a "sin" or weakness of character. When I work with people who want to recover, my focus is on the whole person. Use of drugs is a part of the fuller picture, just as with any other concern people bring to someone like me. While I encourage complete abstinence, I do not require it. If you come to me for help, I will tell you why I believe it makes sense.

I view Personality Disorders as an opportunity to grow into the person you want to be, but might not have had the environment or chance fully to do so. In particular, I have extensive experience and training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), considered to be the gold standard for Borderline Personality Disorder. You may have heard that some therapists don't like to work with persons diagnosed with personality disorders. I am not that person. I hope to assist anyone who comes to me seeking help; to help anyone grow to the fullest potential.

I have extensive training and experience in DBT, having conducted groups and individual therapy for thousands of people over the years. It is also the framework I employ in dealing with the challenges of my own life. It is a highly regarded therapy for persons with borderline personality disorder. It is now recognized as effective over a wide variety of challenges. DBT is not merely a treatment strategy, it is also a world-view, a way of thinking about therapy and clients, validating their essential dignity and worth as human beings.

I have have enhanced my work with a number of individual and group drama techniques, especially Forum Theater, in which participants get to generate and try out their own solutions to challenges in a safe setting, before attempting change in the rest of life.

I have an extensive background in treatment of trauma and complex trauma, which began when I noticed that many clients who cam into the substance abuse agency I worked for reported significant trauma histories. this was further illustrated in the hospital-based day treatment program I served next. I hold certification in trauma treatment, utilizing the latest research and knowledge to help people achieve healing from traumatic injury. I continue my training to this day.