How I Work
YOUR FIRST APPOINTMENT
I provide a safe space for you to explore your thoughts and feelings in complete privacy and without judgment.
Our first contact will probably be by telephone, when you call me. When we speak, I will want to hear what you are seeking help for and, if appropriate, schedule a first meeting. All you need to bring to our first meeting is yourself and your insurance information.
We will meet for 45 minutes to meet one another, for me to hear your story of what is happening in your life, and for each of us to assess if we might work well together. Usually, I meet with my patients for two or three sessions before I am able to give recommendations for treatment. This also gives you the opportunity to get to know how I work and to ask all of your questions.
I may recommend psychotherapy, or psychotherapy combined with a careful trial of a medication. If you do not wish to consider medications, I support that. I may recommend another therapist, if that clinician is better suited for your needs. I may order lab studies to rule out medical causes for your symptoms, and I may refer you to other specialists, when indicated.
Our meetings are completely confidential. I never identify my patients to anyone, except the insurance company, if you authorize me to. This is essential for psychotherapy to work effectively.
I enjoyed working and befriending this doctor. Dr Goodman expressed a level of excitement and compassion every time we met. I felt comfortable with this doctor throughout my treatment. I would highly recommend this doctor to a potential patient seeking treatment.
Dr. Goodman has been my psychiatrist for over 3 years. I’ve had a number of psychiatrists in my lifetime and he is undoubtedly the best of them all! He is well-informed, considerate, never pushy, and very personable. I do and will continue to recommend him to anyone seeking care in or around the Berkshires.
Very helpful and straightforward counseling. Enjoyed his personality and felt the conversations were very insightful. Dr. Goodman was also adept at managing medication with talk therapy.
Dr. Goodman has been my psychiatrist for over two years now. He is no-nonsense, extremely intelligent and well informed, caring, accessible, organized, and has a hilarious, dry sense of humor. He takes confidentiality and security/HIPAA seriously and has solid professional boundaries. He is big on patient autonomy and input, and I’ve never felt like he was bulldozing me, which is not so easy to find in an MD. Basically, he’s a good guy and great at what he does. I highly recommend him.
Dr. Goodman & I have been working together for 20yrs. He is a skilled therapist and psychopharmacologist a rare combination especially in the Berkshires. Our relationship keeps growing working as a team to deal with my issues. I have a complex pharmacology with my bipolar disorder. He is an outstanding professional and am fortunate to have him as my doctor.
Great doctor to work with, he is collaborative and listens to and is open to others perspectives.
My work with Dr. Goodman was fulfilling and life changing due to his ability to listen to me and answer with clear thought and understanding. He instantly made me feel relaxed in his office. His expertise at prescribing the accurate medication while reaching compromises at the will of his patients made me feel valued and subsequently formed an important bond. I felt cared for and appreciated with an air of good humor interjected among all I have said above. I cant recommend Dr. Goodman more highly, and felt safe with my life’s direction in his hands.
He has given me a lot of assistance and I have felt very safe and I felt confident in his relationship with me.
Very competent with good bedside manner. Is genuinely interested in my well being. He is more than just someone interested in prescribing medication. I consider him a friend. He is willing to work with me on my issues and take my concerns seriously.
A great doctor and is comfortable to work with. He really engages with the client.
After struggling with ADHD for years, being brushed off by numerous MDs and NPs, I have finally found someone who addresses my concerns and makes me feel understood and that’s Dr. Goodman. He is patient, kind, incredibly intelligent and someone who truly cares about his patients. He was quick to set up a game plan for me and was willing to do anything I needed so that I could feel my best. Dr. Goodman is always available to talk, is easy to schedule appointments with and will always go the extra mile for his patients. It is rare to find a human, let alone a Doctor these days that is as warm and good- natured as Dr. Goodman. I have recommended him to multiple people and will continue to do so. Dr. Goodman is 10/10 and I’m so thankful that he has been able to help me with something that I’ve been forced to “just deal with” my whole life.
we just have the best conversations about everything. I’ve had lots of therapists and psychiatrists over the years and he is the best. he is the best combination of intelligence and common sense and emotional sensitivity, i’ve ever had. For example, my father has alzheimer’s; Dr. Goodman can explain all the medical particulars very clearly and then be helpful with the human spiritual side of it. What it is like to have this towering figure in your life slowly vanish before you. I am very glad i have Dr. Goodman to talk to about this and other things too.