Therapist Profile

My Approach to Helping

I come to counseling people from a rich relationship focus in how I understand people and relate to them. My early family therapy orientation was also impacted by intensive Gestalt therapy training which together helps me listen deeply to "how" clients experience themselves and others. I'm a very good listener, but I believe in also giving active feedback. At times I may even tell a client I think they aren't going to get what they want by their approach and explore with them what might work.My goal in working with people is that they learn more how to effect change in themselves and with the people with whom they live and work. I also think as client and therapist we each should find our time together meaningful and even enjoyable at times.

More Info About My Practice

I'm a seasoned individual, family and marital therapist with 40 plus years of counseling experience and I still enjoy the counseling process and my clients. I believe in marriage as a deeply spiritual process when spouses can allow it to be and have an alternative style marriage in that my wife and I have been married for 45 years, raised a family and shared a practice for some 35 years. We still enjoy each other. Sometimes we fight, but know how to bridge our gaps. I like teaching people how to do that with each other and even internally when the fight is within themselves. As deeply as I value marriage, I also think individuals have a right to happiness and justice in marriage and recognize some marriages can be toxic and so sometimes divorce is an answer. Besides being a Licensed Clinical Social Worker I am also a Clinical Member of the American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy and a member of MarriageFriendlyTherapists.org. Lastly, I think some of our seriousness about ourselves can be part of our problems and so I try to help people by some humor where it can be appropriate. Lightening up has always been the best therapy.