We were lucky to catch up with Ben Dickstein recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ben, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. What’s the best advice you ever gave to a client? How did they benefit / what was the result? (Please note this response is for education/entertainment purposes only and shouldn’t be construed as advice for the reader)

I should preface my response to this with the caveat that, many times, the parts of a therapy session that stay with a client most aren’t the ones that I would necessarily expect as the therapist. That being said, there have been times when clients have come back to me, sometimes months following the conclusion of treatment, to update me on how things turned out and thank me for our discussions. One instance that stands out is my work with a younger LGBTQ client who was in love but not yet “out” to her family. Moreover, she was being pressured to move to an area of the country far away from her partner. When one’s self-esteem or confidence are lacking, it’s especially hard to disclose things that might be unfairly judged or cause conflict. It took a lot of guts, but my client ended up moving to be with her partner. Later, she got back in touch to thank me for our work and reflect on how glad she was that she didn’t cave to pressure.

Ben, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

I’m a clinical psychologist specializing in treatment for trauma, mood, anxiety, sleep, and relationship issues. Prior to starting my own practice in 2020, I spent around 7 years working as a psychologist for the Cincinnati VA Medical Center, primarily treating Veterans with PTSD. I got into my profession due to a natural interest in psych as well as the satisfaction it brought me to provide support to friends growing up.

As far as what might set me apart, I would say that my clinical style is more relaxed than most psychologists. I believe in the use of humor and self-disclosure in therapy. I also try to be available to my clients when needed, especially when they’re dealing with acute stressors.

If you could go back, would you choose the same profession, specialty, etc.?

Absolutely, yes. In retrospect, I’m glad I didn’t realize just how competitive the field of psychology is, and how many “hoops” one has to jump through (otherwise I might have ben dissuaded). But now, though it was a lot of work to get to this point, I’m one of the lucky folks who derives a lot of meaning and personal fulfillment through their work.

Other than training/knowledge, what do you think is most helpful for succeeding in your field?

This might seem obvious enough, but accruing years of practice have certainly helped me develop as a clinician. The experience that I’ve accumulated has allowed me to get see a wide-range of presenting issues and refine my therapeutic approach.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.ascendcincinnati.com