My Approach to Helping
Having practiced and studied Eastern spiritual traditions for over 28 years as well as studying Contemplative Psychotherapy, I offer a grounded and warm-hearted space for healing and growth.
We just need support and self-understanding. The process of recovery and rebuilding starts with finding someone to hear you, someone who can help put your feelings into words so that you feel integrated, and someone to help you gain self-confidence to accept yourself, grow, and make fulfilling connections.
My passion for being a therapist started from my first experiences as a patient 30 years ago. As a young person facing grief, loss, issues of purpose and identity, and trauma, I have found a haven for others in the work I began with my own therapist.
I had no frame of reference for what therapy was. I just knew that I was depressed and confused by the circumstances in my life. My therapist walked me through it all with kindness, respectful, and safety. That was the beginning of my path as a care provider and this formed the centerpiece of my desire to help others navigate all that life brings.
For the last 21 years, I have worked with individuals and families through life’s transitions. I take the time to get to know you and recognize your patterns; I work towards becoming your deepest witness. Then, we build the skills you need to achieve your goals and find your personal true North. Together we work to discover your strength and your resilience, as well.
In addition, being a devoted father to my LGBTQ son has truly enriched my life. I want him to have access to all the love and support he can have. I try to offer him the space to be and explore himself that I feel we all need in our lives.
I specialize in helping people navigate relationships where there are patterns of disconnect, loneliness, and heartbreak. I bring my years of experience and ongoing education to help you thoughtfully and gently explore how to become resourced, grounded, and safe while working through the immediate struggles of anxiety, depression, grief and loss.
The trust and bond we form are the key to us walking together through whatever forests of life you encounter.
More Info About My Practice
I have extensive training in group psychotherapy, humanistic psychology, modern psychoanalysis, structural family therapy, meditation and I learn how we fit together to help you move forward in your relational life, which often becomes the most central connection each of us has.
When we work together I am always seeking to help you discover the hidden and unexplored areas of your life to reveal what is truly possible, with the most difficult transitions as well as the issues of ‘how do I find meaning, purpose & passion in love and relationship’ and ‘how do I finding meaning, purpose & fulfillment in my work and in my academic pursuits’. I have seen countless people facing these concerns for over 21 years and I am confident you will find me an ally in going for those things that will serve you most at whatever stage you are in life!
My View on the Purpose of Psychotherapy
Psychotherapy is meeting humans where they are, in the moment, and responding to them with a view, ultimately, towards self-actualization and fulfillment.
How we do this is helping you identify your personal life narrative while I listen attentively to your strengths, assets and aptitudes, so that when you feel ready to make changes in your life I know how to realistically and compassionately address those transitions.
You possess the keys to your fulfillment. You have the ability to move mountains! In our lives we need the mirroring and kindness of someone who is skillful and compassionate to help us discover those hidden gems. It is how I continue to transform my own life. And it is how you and I will transform yours, together.
What I Love about Being a Psychotherapist
What I love most is the genuine connections I develop with my clients. We laugh. We cry. We feel stuck together at times. In all of my collaborations with clients we truly form an alliance. We are more invested in how you can grow, achieve meaning, purpose and happiness in your life than emphasizing your perceived deficits. It is my experience that when we emphasize what good is already there within ourselves there is less emphasis on ?what is wrong with me??.
My practice is unique in that I spend time more time emphasizing your potential: romantic relationships and work, typically. It becomes evident over time when aspects of work, friendship and romance are meant to transition, then they transition on their own. This can be seeking greater fulfillment and autonomy in work. It can be deciding to work things out with a lover or leave if we need to. It can be the issues couples face when we have newborn children. All of it. And my intention is to emphasize the good that is already present within you so that decisions you make become self-evident to you!
Clinicians who offer sliding scale payment structures may offer lower or reduced fees based on an individual's ability to pay. Please contact this clinician for more details regarding their fees or sliding scale policy.