My Approach to Helping
Everyone deserves an enriching life full of meaning and purpose regardless of the difficulties that may come our way. My goal is to provide an affirming space for you to develop a deep understanding of yourself, explore challenges you’re facing both internally and externally, and discover healthy ways to achieve your goals. No matter where our work together takes us, you will always receive unconditional acceptance, respect, and care.
I have extensive experience working with the LGBTQ+ community, but I take great pride in supporting individuals from all walks of life. I have assisted clients with depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, PTSD, internal homophobia, gender dysphoria, sexuality, relationships, spirituality, and grief.
I am well versed in a variety of practices and therapies, such as person-centered therapy, narrative therapy, CBT, and DBT. My main focus is collaborating with clients to establish a treatment approach that is catered to your personal needs. Together, we can overcome your struggles and find the path that leads to the life you want to live.
How My Own Struggles Made Me a Better Therapist
In my adolescence, I was confronted with a troubling predicament. Despite being raised in a stoutly religious Mormon household, I began struggling with my sexual orientation. I was deeply troubled by my attraction to the same sex, which felt natural, but alarming because I was taught from an early age that homosexuality was a serious sin. I decided it was in my best interest to smother that part of myself in fear of being rejected by my family, my community, and my God. As a result, I began to experience my own mental health challenges. In this anguish, my eyes were opened to the suffering of others.
Today, I am proud to be both a gay man and a mental health clinician. The hardships of being gay and living in a strict religious environment along with experiencing my very own mental health challenges have given me indispensable insight into what it is like for my clients to endure through the tribulations they experience. This empathy has significantly helped me to cultivate meaningful relationships with my clients and has also made me an overall more compassionate and caring therapist.