Services
I provide therapy to adults in individual therapy, couples counseling,
and group therapy. I also provide clinical supervision for BBS hours to
trainees and interns. Click for more information, about
Clinical
Supervision.
Some of the issues I have experience
working with are:
- Anxiety, stress and trauma
- Anger management
- Depression, grief and loss
- Substance abuse
- Sexuality, dating and intimacy
- Communication skills and relationship counseling in a variety
of forms
- Self-esteem, codependency and maintaining healthy, appropriate
boundaries
- Issues related to cultural identity / intersecting and
conflicting cultural norms and expectations.
- Family dynamics and conflicts
- Issues related to spirituality, spiritual growth.
- Life transitions / personal growth / phase of life issues /
career transitions
- Issues of disempowerment. Coping and succeeding in the face of
a stigmatizing familial and/or societal environment
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When working therapeutically, I draw from the following:
• Narrative therapy
• Transpersonal psychology
• Solution-Focused Therapy
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
• Motivational Interviewing
• Systemic Therapy
• Psychodynamic Therapy
• Gestalt Therapy |
Examples of the populations I have
experience working with are:
LGBTQ+ Community
AAs a self-identified cisgender gay man, I am passionate about
supporting and giving back to my community. In fact, this is one of the
primary reasons I decided to become a therapist! It can be difficult for
LGBTQ people to find help that is queer and sex positive without having
to worry about being labeled “sick”, or a “weirdo”, or otherwise
“unworthy”. It is aggravating to start work with a provider, and then
find out that they lack even a basic understanding of LGBTQ life and the
struggles therein. It is my mission to be part of the solution to this
problem and be a safe, effective and accessible therapeutic resource for
the community.
Young adults (ages 18-25+)
Men
I specify men here because it is my experience that there’s a societal
perception that “real men don’t do therapy”, akin to the saying “real
men don’t cry.” As a man in our society, I have experienced this
insidious attitude and its negative effects first-hand. As a trained
clinician, I can tell you that this is quite harmful and shaming to men,
as it tells them that they should not have much emotion. This shaming
cuts men off from their emotional selves, which in turn creates toxicity
in the form of poor relationships, impulsive and reckless behaviors,
substance abuse, increasing isolation, and in more severe cases, risk of
self-harm or harm to others. When I work with men, I am keenly aware of
the impact of this societal attitude, and take extra care to create a
safe environment to address this directly within the larger context of
my therapeutic services.
My Perspective and Approach
I believe that people do not operate in a vacuum – We are, in part, the
product of our history (which includes family history, culture, gender,
etc.), and the lessons learned from that history influence our choices
and actions today. Sometimes (or more than sometimes….) we do this even
though it may hurt us and those around us. The awesome thing is that,
every day, we have a new opportunity to change our choices and actions
so that we can make our lives better, healthier, and more satisfying. We
often forget this wisdom; we forget that we have this power to change.
I also believe we cannot be “fixed” from the outside by someone else.
For example, picture someone you know who always seems to be in some
kind of trouble, and they ask you for advice. You reflect on what you
think might work, and give really good feedback. They might accept what
you say (or at least say that they do), and then go on and do exactly
what they were doing before. What happened?! The answers that you gave
were from your own wisdom, and not from within the person asking for
help. The other person did not feel any real connection or ownership of
your solutions, and so nothing changed.
For me, therapy is similar to the scenario above. It is not effective,
nor is it my place, to impose what I think are solutions for you. My
solutions simply aren’t your solutions, and most likely will not be of
benefit to you. Rather, I believe that you already have at least some
idea of the answers and solutions you are looking for, though you may
not realize it when you’re in the midst of suffering. As your therapist,
it’s my job to be completely focused on you and help you reconnect,
explore and develop your own innate wisdom and power –
this is the main thrust of my therapeutic approach. You will then be
able to find your solutions, make decisions that you own, and take
action with conviction.
My therapeutic style is one that is active and engaging. By that I mean
that I make it a point to interact with you by way of reflective
listening, strategic inquiry, encouragement, and, when appropriate, by
challenging beliefs and actions that are compromising and undermining to
you. I have been told by others that I can cut though the “noise” and
get to the heart of the matter, and I strive to do this in a way that is
caring, non-judgmental, and with a good dose of humor when needed!
We only get to live, love and enjoy life for a finite time. It’s up to
each of us to do what we can, and get the help we need when we struggle,
to work toward our most authentic self, and strive for that cherished
sense of empowered freedom we deserve. If I have piqued your interest
and would like to get more information, give me a call or send me an
email! We can set up a free consultation and see if there is an
opportunity here for us to work together.
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