My Approach to Helping
Realizing that you aren’t where you want to be is scary. For many of us, continuing along without changing is likely to result in developing meaningless habits: ruminating, substance abuse, unhealthy hookups, too much time with technology, ignoring your work-relationships, etc. Was there a point in your life where you did feel alive, connected and motivated? Or, do you feel that this has eluded you? This is the thing--we can have a picture-perfect life, an incredible resume, a fabulous apartmenthome and still feel that lack. We can work more, push more to the point of self-sabotage, anxiety, and depression.
My training as a therapist as well as my 11 years in corporate settings provides my clients the chance to express and implement their goals to create more meaningful lives. I've been helping people in my practice for over 15 years. I continue to feel excited about the solid results that good therapy can deliver. To be heard and understood is priceless.
I am a relatable guy. I don't judge. I'm easy to get along with. My clients respond well to me ( I think it's the Midwestern in me). My desire is to provide a warm, caring and respectful and safe environment in order for you to share your challenges, your pain, your desires. We will work together. We can't do this alone. I'll be your partner along the way.
How My Own Struggles Made Me a Better Therapist
The Dixie Chicks have a line in one of their songs about friends "living in the same zip code where their parents live." Although I pre-date that song, I knew that staying in suburban Detroit was not going to work out well for me. I graduated from the University of Michigan, my parents divorced somewhere in the middle of my education, they both later remarried and I just knew it was time for me to exit. There was no acrimony, just some confusing feelings and a need to look outside of the Midwest. I moved to New York, got a position in Macy's and never looked back. After 11 years in retail in various buying and management positions, after numerous unhealthy relationships, I felt that there was more for me to do. I became active in the HIVAIDS world, working with men, women and children throughout the earlylatter part of the 90s. I realized that this gave me a sense of purpose that was clearly lacking. I see that I may be painting this process as somewhat seamless--trust me-it was not. I was engaging in unhealthy habits, including excessive partying and exhibiting very poor money management, and the like. But through my own therapy, I was able to begin to sort all of this out. I finally found a healthy relationship, pulled the plug on retail and entered grad school. I've been in private practice now for almost 20 years now. The last few years have been challenging as I've lost both parents, beloved pets. But I have much to be grateful for: my spouse, my daughter, the roof over our heads, my health. But I work on this almost every day through exercise, meditating, journaling, laughing at my new favorite addiction, the TV show, Superstore. When my clients walk through the door, they can rest assured that they are sitting across from a guy who understands.
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