My Approach to Helping
You’ve always been a lone wolf because you like your space and alone time, especially when you are overwhelmed, but people get offended when you ask for space. You get told that you are guarded, insensitive, angry, or acting "hot and cold."
You know that your fears around opening up to others, (and probably some stuff from your childhood) get in the way of the relationships you know you are capable of having. You'd like more connection, sometimes it's a bit lonely and you wonder what you are missing. But on the other hand, it feels foolish to open up to others. How can you really trust them? You've learned you can only rely on yourself.
It makes you uptight every time these deep relationship conversations come up. You feel confused when people ask for more connection and emotional intimacy with you.
I am a psychotherapist for men who are self-sufficient, independent problem-solvers. These are the skills that led you to success in many areas of your life. But these skills don't always work to develop deep, connected long-lasting relationships, friendships, and community. I help men who would like to better understand themselves and build their relationship skills.
My style as a therapist is to provide straightforward feedback and concrete skills while being easy to talk to about sensitive and vulnerable issues. My clients report that after their first session with me, they feel relieved. They have been holding in all these concerns for so long and finally have someone to help them figure it out.
Some of the topics covered in psychotherapy with me include:
Assess risk levels in trusting others when opening up and being vulnerable.
Communicate clearly and feel competent when navigating conflicts, problems, and uncomfortable topics.
Establish relationship guidelines and boundaries that are fair and considerate.
Identify your feelings and needs. Learn to put words to express your feelings and needs.
Anticipate and accurately identify your partner’s feelings and needs.
Learn how to cope with your relational triggers (for example: your partner’s complaints, crying, clinging, commitment talk, etc.)
I primarily utilize Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) as a modality to help my clients. It’s action-oriented, meaning we want to get you moving toward doing and practicing the things that will elicit long-lasting positive change in your life.
What I provide for my clients is not a cookie-cutter curriculum or scripts of what to say to get what you want. This is much deeper than that. It requires us to look into your personal and unique psychology so you can navigate all kinds of relational situations without relying on rigid rules or tricks.
It’s learning how to do relationships in a way that is authentic to you.
If this is you, please reach out to schedule a 15-minute phone consultation. I am here to help.