(he/they)
New to Grow
I'm Jake, a guy who was always told he was too sensitive growing up and had ever-changing interests because of his ADHD. Before becoming a therapist, I worked in customer service for 14 years, six of those years in medical reception. In that time, I also worked four summers at a camp for kids with special needs. I've met and worked with a lot of different people and I've seen a lot. What I've learned is that everyone has challenges, some more than others, and that we can all use some support sometimes. I bring compassion, a systemic perspective, and my ability to make the scariest stuff feel easier to talk about so that you can get what you need from therapy.
The first session is mostly a "get to know you" meeting. I understand that it can take time to build trust and I need to be able to see the full clinical picture, including knowing what you've already tried, before I can offer any meaningful solutions. We'll talk about what's going on that brought you to therapy at this time, but also about who you are in general and what you want from life. In the first few sessions, we'll cover some important personal history so I can get a sense of where you've been and where you want to go. I'm also open to answering questions about myself and my experiences, while still maintaining professional boundaries and keeping the focus on you.
My greatest strength is how easy most people find it to talk with me. I've often had clients remark that it didn't feel like therapy with me, but it was still helpful. I'm like your cheerleader, your coach, your resource guide, confidant, and accountability partner all in one. At the end of the day, I just want to see you win, whatever that looks like for you.
I love working with LGBTQ clients and the neurodiverse (AuDHD people), especially since I share these identities. I enjoy working with cis men who want to become more emotionally intelligent and with anyone who wants support with ADHD, anxiety, depression, raising their standards, being more compassionate with themselves, embracing difference, recovering from sexual abuse, or navigating an unexpected life change.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
I often tell clients, "Accepting it doesn't mean liking it, it just means you're not resisting 'what is' anymore." When you're no longer in resistance to reality, you can redirect your effort into practical solutions.
Brainspotting
Similar to EMDR, this technique helps tap into emotionally-charged eye positions, or "brainspots," to achieve deep processing at the sub-cortical level (talk therapy works on the cortical level).
Sex Therapy
I work with cis men with sexual dysfunction (ie, erectile dysfunction, delayed ejaculation) and couples with sexual dysfunction, discrepancies in desire, or who want to introduce kink or consider opening their relationship. I also work with couples already in open relationships and polycules.
Gender-affirming therapy
I'm getting my PhD in human sexuality and enjoy working with trans, non-binary, and gender questioning individuals or couples in which one partner is recently navigating a gender journey.