Patricia Velkoff, PhD

Challenges come in all sorts of unexpected shapes and sizes.
Fortunately, so do solutions.

Faced with emotional difficulties or relationship problems, most of us can tell when our strategies are not working. What's harder to find is another perspective or a different way forward.

Getting timely and practical guidance from an experienced professional can make the difference between ineffective and frustrating results and results that are positive and satisfying. This is particularly true in our relationships, where emotions can run high and the price of unresolved problems - for ourselves and for others - can be enormous.

In her work with individuals, couples, and families, Dr. Velkoff has earned a reputation as an excellent listener, a clear thinker, and a pragmatic problem-solver. If you are looking for guidance in your relationships, help with your parenting, or thoughtful perspectives for yourself as an individual, she may be able to help. 

About Dr. Velkoff

Dr. Velkoff is passionate about helping individuals and families grow and flourish. Every adult, every adolescent, every child she meets provides a new opportunity to collaborate and to foster growth and learning. Years ago, after working with a couple on their marriage, the husband said to Dr. Velkoff: When I first came in, it was to get my wife to change.  What has really happened is that I've become a better person!

Good therapists are trusted collaborators in understanding ourselves, tackling challenges large and small, and living with patience and grace when circumstances are beyond our control. If we are paying attention (and perhaps even if we are not!), life presents difficulties that we may not want, expect, or have the skills and heart to handle. However difficult or impossible these problems are, we can take the opportunity they provide to improve how we cope and to grow new skills. 

With extensive training in child and adolescent therapy, individual adult therapy, and family therapy, Dr. Velkoff brings a range of skills and life experiences to her work. A year of specialized training in Structural Family Therapy at Philadelphia Child Guidance Clinic grounded her in the many ways that therapy can serve to broaden, deepen, and strengthen our relationships in all settings. 

Children & Adolescents

When the roller coaster of child-rearing hits the inevitable bumps and low points, it helps to know where to turn for perspective and new ideas.

Parenting has been, and continues to be, Dr. Velkoff's most true and demanding teacher. She has navigated the to-and-fro of school and extracurricular activities, homework and friends, electronics and today's culture, and other stormy waters of parenting.

While laying no claim to having all the answers, Dr. Velkoff's lived experience informs her work and increases her compassion for the magnificent and complicated job of parenting. Dr. Velkoff loves to help children and teens grow emotionally, and loves helping parents negotiate the complicated and contradictory demands involved in raising children to adulthood.

Families & Couples

Whether raising children, working with an ex-spouse, or wrestling with problems that stem from childhood and adolescence, family relationships usually have a significant impact on a person's mental, emotional, and physical well-being. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution to the concerns that families face, a highly experienced and well-trained advisor can provide important perspectives and helpful guidance when confronting family problems.

Dr. Velkoff is skilled in understanding family dynamics and in helping families negotiate the challenges of their particular situations. She has a reputation for approaching families with enormous skill, compassion, and wisdom.

Adults

When the stressors of adulthood are in good balance with an individual's resources, things can go smoothly. When these get out of balance, though, the going gets tough. It is a rare adult who does not struggle to cope with new or changing circumstances, or with ways that their upbringing or habits are holding them back. They may face stage of life concerns, for example, coping with postpartum depression or an empty nest, negotiating dating and sex, or helping aging parents.

Dr. Velkoff has helped adults with a wide range of challenges, from conflicts in the workplace to unexpected losses or health changes; from finding fulfilling work to making friends; and from managing anxiety and depression to setting and pursuing long-term life goals. She brings kindness, optimism, and pragmatic advice to her work with individual adults.