Welcome my friends. From my heart, I live by the adage that I will be in my own battle or someone else’s battle for the rest of my life. Our days are like the weather. Many days the sun shines, but the rains do come and sometimes a destructive storm hits hard (a divorce, the loss of a loved one, cancer, suicidal thoughts, et cetera). I have been honored to be in the field of psychology for 20 years since 2004. Through the years, more than half of my time was in the Army where I primarily worked with soldiers enduring anxiety, depression, trauma, Traumatic Brain Injury, and all the other usual suspects of psychological distress such as guilt, fear, worry, shame, pain, heartbreak, addiction, identity conflicts, and sorrow. I’ve also worked in the prisons for many years with extreme situations (i.e., murder, severe mental illness, rape, child molestation, drug kingpins, gang leaders). I have seen many miracles. So, no matter what your circumstances are, never quit and never give up! I’m a combat veteran and retired Army officer, a devout Christian, husband, father, grandfather, and experienced clinical psychologist. Let’s get into the root causes of your battle and find ways to overcome, change, forgive, accept, and move upward toward the light. The darkness will eventually lift, and the light will surely shine again.
I want to explore and target the underlying causes of psychological distress which usually resides in relational problems, guilt, fear, worry, insult, shame, pain, heartbreak, addiction, identity conflicts, and sorrow. When we better understand the root cause of the pain, then we can begin the healing process, real change in thinking, feeling, and behaving, acceptance, and forgiveness. It's a battle, but people are often far more resilient than they realize. I've watched so many people adapt and overcome unbelievable circumstances - GRIT!
When I began in the field of psychology, I had a naive notion of what concepts like anxiety and depression were based on basic writings and personal experiences. Over the years of working with many beautiful human beings who were suffering in various ways I've learned much about the ways we all defend ourselves from pain, emotionally react to the world, and the long-suffering of addiction, self-abuse, and anger/contempt. Experience is the greatest teacher, and I try to help (pull, push, drag) the next one in line. Second, love for people and the ability to empathically appreciate what others are going through is essential. Who am I to judge others? Over my years I have weaved many of my own traps, and have also endured loss, hate, injustice, selfishness and other beatings, but through these battles (and the many battles I have witnessed) I endeavor to persevere, and try to help others with the same. Explore beliefs!
CBT is a fundamental treatment method, but other valuable methods (e.g., psychoanalytic, existential/humanistic, and behavioral) can also be used to effect real change, acceptance, and resilience.