You can call me Dan. From a young age I was interested in a career that focused on helping people. I smile when I think about it, but there was a time I thought a career in medicine was what I wanted but I am so bad at math that didn't work out very well. There was a time I thought I was being called into ministry as a pastor, and I wanted to be a pastor that could counsel, but circumstances didn't allow that to happen either. Maybe it's ironic and maybe it's not but I'm not really that much of a talker so I never dreamed that becoming a therapist would be my thing. But then again, therapy is a lot about listening and I do that really well. I enjoy helping others move from places of frustration, and sometimes despair to places of hope and healing. I have always been taught that people deserve respect and to be treated with dignity regardless of what their issue is or where they come from and that is a value I continue to hold. I also find it interesting that the three careers I pursued had their focus in the three things I still believe are important for a life of fulfillment, purpose, and contentment and those are physical health, spiritual health and mental health. I received a Masters of Divinity degree in 1991, a Masters in Social Work degree in 1996 and my License as a Clinical Social Worker in 1997. I went back to school in 2016 and obtained a MBA in Healthcare Management in 2017. My 28 year career in mental health has been split between providing clinical services, supervising others in their provision of clinical services and administration in the area of Healthcare Quality and Compliance. I believe the client is the expert. You know your self better than anyone. You know how you feel when life happens, you know what frustrates you and what makes you angry. You know what is upsetting and what makes you sad, and you know when something isn't right or that something is off. The problem is that sometimes you don't know why, and if you don't know why, you can't fix it. I take an approach that starts with uncovering what you believe, because so much of what you believe becomes reality, we end up living out the lies we tell ourselves. I use a combination of cognitive-behavioral therapy, solution focused therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, and a positive psychology of sorts to uncover the lies and replace them with truth. I work best with people experiencing depression and anxiety, relationship issues, uncertainty, religious or spiritual crises. Men, I know there may be some of you who struggle with pornography and it feels wrong but you can't stop. It may be causing relationship issues or a sense of guilt or shame. There are reasons for that too, and it can be addressed and it doesn't have to define you. Regardless of the issues you experience, whether depression or anger, or anxiety, they took years to develop, so there are no quick fixes. But I believe that if you are willing to do the work we can work together to replace fear with courage, restlessness with contentment, anger with joy, and despair with hope.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
They can expect to be challenged when they need challenged and validated when they need validated. Regardless, they will always feel supported and they will feel like they have someone that cares about them in their corner. I will work with them from a place of compassion, dignity and respect because that is what they deserve. Regardless, it's about changing thinking if there is to be progress, and you will leave my sessions with tools, homework, and goals to do just that.
What treatment methods and tools do you utilize?
Talk and discussion in addition to psycho-education and in between session goals and homework. I am a big believer in the need to change how we think if we want to change what we do. There will be work around identifying negative thinking and replacing it with new and healthy ways of thinking. There will also be work around identifying things you can control and working to make change in those areas if needed rather than trying to change things you can't control (which is what a lot of people do). I also think there is a huge connection between childhood trauma and process addictions like pornography, so if that's an issue, you can expect to talk about that connection, the way the brain works in that addiction, and how to understand how it all ties together so you can do something about it
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
I feel like I do best when I'm working with people that feel broken and need someone to help them see how the future can be different. If you feel like you'll never escape your past and the things that you maybe did, or said or feel, and they feel like an anchor that is keeping you from moving forward, I can help with that. I also believe in the connection between spiritual, physical and mental health, so all three of those aspects of wellness will be incorporated into our work. I love helping people when they are OK incorporating biblical truth around concepts such as grace, mercy, love, and faithfulness (but I never push it on you if you don't). I'll meet you where you are, but you will need to want change for yourself more than I want it for you. If you do, we will work well together.
Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.
Young adults, i.e. ages from early 20's through mid 40's. Christian counseling, or faith based counseling, spirituality Men with process addictions such as pornography