(he/him)
New to Grow
I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Master Addiction Counselor with 20+ years of experience supporting adults navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, substance use, compulsive sexual behavior, and life transitions. My approach is warm, collaborative, and grounded in CBT, motivational interviewing, psychoeducation, and trauma‑informed care. I help clients build insight, strengthen coping skills, and create meaningful, sustainable change through compassionate, goal‑focused therapy. I work especially well with individuals who feel stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure where to begin. Whether someone is mandated to treatment, coping with the impact of past trauma, struggling with compulsive sexual behaviors, or trying to break long-standing patterns, I offer a supportive and non-judgmental space to explore what's happening and create a clear path forward.
In our first session, you can expect a warm, steady, and judgment‑free space where we slow things down and focus on what brings you to therapy. I’ll ask about your current concerns, your history, and what you hope to change, while moving at a pace that feels comfortable. Together, we’ll clarify your goals, identify immediate needs, and begin shaping a plan that supports relief, insight, and meaningful progress. My approach is collaborative, trauma‑informed, and centered on helping you feel understood, supported, and empowered from day one.
Clients can expect me to bring a steady, real‑world recovery mindset into every session. I show up with warmth, honesty, and a calm presence that helps people feel safe enough to open up. I’m skilled at helping clients slow down, make sense of what’s happening underneath the surface, and build practical tools they can use right away. My strengths include meeting people exactly where they are, honoring their lived experience, and guiding them toward meaningful change without pressure or judgment. Recovery is a process, and I help clients walk it with clarity, compassion, and accountability.
I am best positioned to work with adults who need structured, trauma-informed, and accountability-focused therapy. My ideal client is an adult who is ready - or becoming ready- to make meaningful changes, even if they feel stuck, overwhelmed, or mandated to attend therapy. They benefit from a therapist who is direct yet compassionate, structured yet collaborative, and skilled at helping them understand the "why" behind their behaviors. I specialize in substance abuse, compulsive sexual behavior, mandated clients, mood disorders, emotional regulation, and behavior change. My approach is practical, strengths-based and goal-oriented, helping clients build insight, develop coping skills, with a focus on making sustainable changes.
Other specialties
I identify as
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I use CBT to help clients understand how their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors influence substance use and behavioral health issues and concerns. We work together on identifying triggers, challenging unhelpful thinking, and building practical coping skills that support recovery.
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
I use mindfulness-based therapy to help clients develop awareness of their thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations in the present moment. This approach supports emotional regulation, reduces impulsive reactions, and strengthens the ability to make intentional, healthy choices.
Motivational Interviewing
I use Motivational Interviewing to help clients explore their ambivalence, strengthen their internal motivation, and make self-directed changes. The approach emphasizes collaboration, autonomy, and eliciting the client's own reasons for change.
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
I use Solution-Focused Therapy to help clients identify their strengths, clarify their goals, and build practical steps towards change. The focus is on what's working, what's possible, and the small actions that move them closer to their preferred future.
Psychoeducation
I use psychoeducation to help clients understand the symptoms, patterns, and behaviors that influence their functioning. By increasing knowledge, clients gain insight, reduce confusion, and become better equipped to make informed, healthy decisions.