Counseling, Psychiatry & Holistic Mental Health Care for Drexel Hill, Havertown, Broomall, Springfield, Media, Delaware County & the Main Line Find Us on FacebookLike Us on Facebook, get a Self Hypnosis MP3 Album Free!

Therapy, Marriage & Family Counseling, Psychiatry, Psychology & Holistic Mental Health Care

Serving Drexel Hill, Havertown, Broomall, Springfield, Media, Delaware County (DelCo) & the Main Line, Pennsylvania

Dr. Robert Vandercook, Licensed Psychologist

> Robert Vandercook
Dr. Robert Vandercook, Licensed Psychologist
Treatment Philosophy

As we navigate our way through life and its challenges, the one thing that we can rely on is "change" - personal change as well as change that occurs around us that very often calls on us to alter our course in order to maintain a sense of balance and well-being. These challenges to the status quo may initially seem daunting and very confusing, but in many cases they can afford us the opportunity for significant personal growth and a greater sense of purpose and self-fulfillment.

In my practice I treat school-age children, adolescents, adults and couples. When working with children I attempt to foster self-confidence and contentment in place of sadness and worry. I also develop interventions that build cooperation in place of lying and defiance. I help youngsters develop a greater sense of self-control to help reduce aggression and tantrums and help develop genuine closeness to reduce clingy behaviors and irritability. I work closely with parents, teachers, school personnel and pediatricians to ensure that the child is receiving a continuum of care that is optimal and provides the best chance at success and happiness.

Treating adolescents is quite challenging work, but I've been told that I have an extraordinary ability to develop therapeutic bonds with angry, resistant and withdrawn teenagers. The adolescent years can pose significant challenges as teenagers begin to develop a greater sense of "self" outside of the family while still requiring the nurturance and guidance of the family. Adolescence can also prove to be very trying times for parents, and as such, I employ a family systems approach to treatment which de-emphasizes the need to identify the adolescent as "the patient" and focuses more on identifying maladaptive communication patterns and relationships within the family as a whole. The goal of this type of intervention is to help all family members grow and individuate within the context of the family.

My work with adults focuses on treating emotional disorders such as depression, anxiety/fear, loss or grief, substance abuse and trauma/PTSD. I also help adults with personality disorders such as dependence, narcissism and obsessive compulsive behaviors. My objective in treatment is to initially provide relief from the symptoms that brought you to therapy. As the course of therapy continues I will begin to focus more on your strengths and in helping you identify those strengths and to be able to use them as "you become your own therapist." I have found in the past that many mental health practitioners place too much emphasis on "pathologizing" their clients and do not focus sufficiently on their client's strengths. I may be a bit old fashioned, but I view the ancient Greek definition of psychology being "the study of the soul" as very relevant in today's world. I should clarify that I do not use "soul" in a religious sense, rather I view it as that part of our being that constantly calls upon us to be who we really are and is constantly searching for a greater sense of wholeness. Through all of the worry, self-doubt, advice from others, and confusion in our lives, it is this internal yearning that we must address if we are to experience our true self and be able to enjoy a life that is uniquely our own. I hope you will afford me the privilege of helping you as you search for greater self-awareness and personal fulfillment.

Credentials
  • Doctor of Clinical Psychology (PsyD), Chestnut Hill College, Philadelphia, PA
  • Master of Education, Wilmington University, Wilmington, DE (Elementary and Secondary School Counseling)
  • Post-Doctoral Psychology Resident: Center for Child and Family Development, Morristown, NJ
  • Post-Doctoral Psychology Intern: Wellsprings PC, Marlton, New Jersey; and Northeast Treatment Center, Philadelphia, PA
  • Child and Family Therapist, Family Service of Burlington County, NJ
  • School Counselor, Elwyn Institute, Philadelphia, PA
  • Licensed Psychologist in Pennsylvania, # PS016986
  • Prior to his psychology training, Dr Vandercook worked for 11 years in the banking industry.