(he/him)
New to Grow
A powerful moment in therapy occurred when a client once said to me, “I found myself lost in the forest with night approaching. Then you appeared like a sign pointing the way out.” It has been my life's passion as a licensed psychotherapist to help others find their way in life. Through our work together, my clients find a meaningful path forward out of unhelpful thinking and behaviors toward healthier beliefs about themselves, others, and the world around them. My eclectic strengths-based CBT approach draws upon the best evidence-based practices of solution-focused cognitive behavioral therapy. It is an approach that has helped individuals find healing and well-being that leads to a life worth living and celebrating. This is so not only for oneself but for your loved ones, family, friends, work associates and community. Another powerful moment in therapy was when a client shared, “Working with you is like sculpting a block of marble. Every time I am ready to process with you a past traumatic experience, it is like chipping off a flake of stone. Slowly but surely, the carving reveals the beauty within me.” So whether your mental health recovery work entails healing from past trauma exposure, overcoming unwanted intrusive thinking, taming anxiety, lifting your depression, stabilizing your moods, increasing your distress tolerance, accomplishing emotional regulation, or simply achieving greater personal effectiveness at work or at home, you will learn to shape and form yourself into the person you want to be emotionally and psychologically.
Beginning therapy can feel like stepping into the unknown, and that’s completely natural. My goal in our first session is to create a space where you feel comfortable, respected, and genuinely understood. Many clients come in feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or uncertain about the path forward. One client once described it as “being lost in the forest with night approaching.” If that resonates with you, know that our work together is about finding direction—not by me telling you where to go, but by helping you discover your own way forward with clarity and confidence. In our first session, we’ll start by getting to know you—your story, what brings you in, and what you would like to be different in your life. You don’t need to have everything figured out. You can share as much or as little as you feel ready to. We will move at a pace that feels right for you. Therapy is not something done to you—it is something we build together. Depending on your needs, we may begin identifying goals for therapy. These might include working through past trauma, reducing anxiety or depression, improving emotional regulation, strengthening relationships, or increasing your sense of purpose and direction. Whatever your focus, our work will be guided by what is most important to you. Some clients describe therapy as a gradual, meaningful process. One person shared that it felt like sculpting—slowly chipping away what no longer serves them, revealing something strong and valuable within. You don’t have to rush this process. Change happens step by step, and each step matters. Ultimately, therapy is about helping you move toward a life that feels more meaningful, balanced, and worth living. As Viktor Frankl wrote, even when we cannot change our circumstances, we retain the freedom to choose how we respond. Our work together will help you access that freedom in a way that feels real and practical in your daily life. By the end of the first session, you can expect to have a clearer sense of being heard, a beginning understanding of how we might work together, and a path forward—however small that first step may be.
I believe overall that the quality of the working relationship between therapist and client is what leads to lasting changes and satisfying gains from therapy. I am therefore a participating clinician with “A Collaborative Outcomes Resource Network” more commonly known as ACORN. Now, more than twelve years into association with ACORN, I have exceeded being “Highly Effective” as a psychotherapist. I attribute this in part to three questions I ask every client at every session: “During our last session did we talk about things of importance to you? Did you feel understood? Was the session helpful?” These three questions ensure that from the start of our work together, we stay on track toward your desired goals and outcomes from therapy.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
My approach to care is helping people move forward from unhelpful patterns in thinking, emotion, and behavior toward a life that feels balanced and worth celebrating. I take a strengths-based approach and integrate the best evidence-based practices that support lasting change and lead to healthier relationships and beliefs toward oneself, loved ones, others, and your community.
Trauma-Focused CBT
My trauma focused/informed CBT care is particularly helpful with persons experiencing unwanted intrusive thoughts, seeking trauma recovery from Complex PTSD and to shrink their inner and outer critics as they develop Wise Mind strengths.