I decided to become a counselor for many reasons. As a child, I found I naturally gravitated towards listening to others and I believe this was the way I chose to show care. In being curious about others' lives, their families, and their experiences I discovered that, as much as I appreciated people sharing their stories with me, people too appreciated my interest, perspective, and the non-judgmental attitude. This was the first time I thought counseling could be the career I pursue. Then, in college, I took courses in the psychology of personality where I began to learn theories of counseling and the dynamics of interpersonal relationships. Here I found that a lot of what I was learning resonated with my experience in youth and my personal disposition. Throughout this time there were many "light-bulb" moments where personal and professional experiences aligned and pursuing a career in counseling started feeling less like a choice and more like a calling. Now having been in practice for a few years I am even more certain of this. I have been honored and privileged to share in the lives of those who have chosen to work with me and allowed me to continue to express interest, curiosity, and unconditional positive regard in supporting their life's journey. This is was I chose, and continue to choose, to be a counselor.

I work best with clients who are willing to be self-reflective and who are interested in a collaborative, active, and engaging approach to therapy. I tend to have a positive, strength-based approach to counseling and believe that, though I have a background in psychology, it is the client who is the expert in their life. At certain times I will take a reflective stance where I may listen more; other times I may be more directive in exploring solutions and actionable steps. Whatever stance I take, I turn toward my clients to see what feels most supportive in helping them engage with their natural resources and make the changes they would like to see. This is why I feel a collaborative approach is invaluable in working toward successful outcomes in treatment. Through being an active participant in their treatment, clients progressively take ownership of their own process and, ultimately, their lives.

I get most excited to work with people who are ambivalent about change and enjoy supporting them explore the pros and cons for changing and staying the same. I feel my excitement comes from seeing how their engagement changes when we create a non-judgmental space to explore each side of their differing perspectives and see how we can align their behavior with their values in a more consistent and authentic way.

Though the therapeutic hour can support people in developing self-understanding, the majority of the change that accounts for the success of treatment happens outside of session. As someone who has been on the receiving end of therapy as a client himself, I believe it is helpful think about the work outside of sessions as "mini-experiments" whose effects we will explore in our work together to see if they support advancing your life in meaningful ways.

I am inspired by the resiliency and strength of the people who choose to work with me. In every session, no matter who is sitting across from me, I consistently find I’m struck by these qualities as they naturally arise in our conversations.

In our first session we will balance discussing what brings you into therapy, what you’re hoping to get out of therapy, and also setting up a frame which will help guide the course of treatment and our work together. This frame will cover things like an approximation of how long I feel treatment will last, how frequently we will meet, the no show/cancellation policies, phone call policies, and what to do in a crisis situation. Additionally, you will have time to ask questions about my approach, credentials, and any other questions you may have about what to expect from therapy to see if you feel our fit is supportive.

At the end of our first session my hope is that we will have a rough narrative about how you are currently functioning and of how you got here. Additionally, we will have a preliminary hypothesis about where points of intervention may be and what these initial steps toward change could look like. Though this formulation will be a foundation of our work together, we will continue to change and make amends to it as you see fit to support you along your journey of healing and growth.

As you can see from my answers above, we are going to try to cover a lot in the first session. Even still, if there are questions I ask or directions I explore that feel invasive or that you feel uncomfortable answering, please know you have a right to set a limit and say you don’t feel comfortable talking about that right now and I will respect that. If at any point you feel overwhelmed or need a break let me know and I will happily make that space. I understand it takes a lot of courage to come into the therapy room and be vulnerable with someone. Often it takes time to feel comfortable enough in the relationship to share in this way and it is by no means an expectation at the outset of therapy to share every detail of your life.

In my time off I like to balance enjoying hobbies and trying new things. I have a background in music so I often turn to playing/creating songs for fun and my own processing. I also have interests in technology, video games, and enjoy spending time with friends and family. I also enjoy driving around the state exploring new foods and finding new places to walk and connect with nature.