I discovered through the course of pursuing another career that my values were not truly aligned with it, but with the mental health profession. As I pursued a career in an industry that did not support these values, I became further divorced from myself. When I made it my life's ambition to align my work with my values, I naturally shifted to the mental health profession and finally began to experience satisfaction in my work. I am a natural-born collaborator and take a lot of joy in seeing others thrive. Once I got a taste of what I could do to illicit a change in another person's life, I was sold on the profession for good. I am a trauma survivor, and I am uniquely equipped to help other survivors move into the next stage of their life, from mere survival to thriving. There is no more important work than this.

I specialize in working with men and men's issues but have worked with a variety of people from different ages and demographics. My main area of expertise is in developmental trauma and psychodynamic approaches that take into consideration the whole lifespan of an individual. I am very adept at working with substance use issues and helping heal relational trauma and restoring healthy relating in individuals who have been abused by caretakers or others in a position of power or authority.

Therapy is for all who want it, not those who need it. If you have a genuine interest in healing, that is all that is required. Everyone has issues of mental health that emerge in their lives. This is the norm. The difference is in what one wants to do about it. There should be no stigma in receiving support for issues of mental health as they affect everyone. Receiving help is a sign of internal strength, not weakness.

My clients can expect me to actually listen, take a genuine interest in their life, and to expect the best for them. They should not ever encounter judgment in sessions with me, but they should know that if they feel they have been judged or are dissatisfied in any way they may speak freely about such issues. I want to collaborate with them and have no interest in competing with them or to convert them to any particular way of thinking. Really, I want to convey that they are cared for and that they have value no matter what has transpired in their lives.

I value collaboration, mutual respect, and an assumption of dignity within all people. I believe those are also the hallmarks of true leadership. I know that when one makes the relationship to oneself the most important in their lives, empathy and a genuine interest in others is the outgrowth. As one makes a stable commitment of love to oneself, it is only natural that he or she begins to do so in all important relationships. I believe in the innate goodness and value we are all naturally endowed with.

I am interested in the details of people's lives and understand that each client's history contains a rich explanation for how they came to be in their current situation. Their history and culture can reveal much about what approach may be best, whether a cognitive or behavioral intervention, or a somatic and mindfulness-based practice, the approach may represent an opportunity for a long-held need to be addressed. I would discover with the client what needs have been unfulfilled in their lives and decide what therapeutic tools may best fill those needs.