Licensed to practice in California and accepts 11 insurances. Specializes in First Responders/Healthcare Workers, Health/Medical Issues, Mood Disorders and 10 more.
Welcome to my profile. I hope it will help you find a therapist who is a good fit for you. My name is Jon. I have 28 years of experience in the mental health field. I earned my MA in Counseling Psychology with a specialization in Holistic Studies in 2002 and have been a California Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist since 2009. Before becoming a therapist, I worked as a dishwasher, forklift driver, small business manager, and completed an internship with the United Nations. I have lived and worked overseas and across the United States, collaborating with people from many different backgrounds. Like many, I have faced cancer and other significant life challenges. I went back to college later in life because I wanted to help young people and their families build better futures. I chose a holistic approach because I believe in working with the whole person — mind, body, feelings, relationships, history, and spirit. I spent 15 years supporting youth experiencing significant emotional and behavioral challenges and their families. I also worked with adults in community settings. For the last 13 years, my primary work has been with incarcerated adults. These experiences have taught me about shame, redemption, resilience, and dignity. I have witnessed people at their lowest points and seen their remarkable capacity to change, heal, and rebuild. All of this has convinced me that people are always more than the labels they carry or the worst things they have experienced. I believe every person is worthy of being heard and treated with dignity and respect — and that change, growth, and transformation are possible for everyone.
Our first session is an opportunity for us to get to know one another and begin understanding what brings you to therapy. We’ll discuss confidentiality, safety, and other important aspects of the therapy process. I’ll ask questions about your history, current circumstances, and the challenges that led you here so I can see the broader picture. Just as importantly, I want to hear from you—what is happening in your life, what concerns you most, and what you would like to see change? Together, we will set some initial goals for therapy. Goals act like road signs that help us know where we’re headed, though they can evolve over time. Our first session will be more structured than future ones because there is a lot of ground to cover. As we continue, our work will become more flexible and focused on what matters most to you. If time allows and you’re interested, we may identify a few small experiments or practices to try between sessions. If you feel nervous, uncomfortable, or unsure at any point, please let me know—we can talk about it. These feelings are common in a first session and can often provide valuable insight.
Clients often tell me they appreciate that I am patient, calm, and easy to talk to. I take things step by step and use everyday language. Sometimes I use simple visual diagrams or sketches, as well as analogies, to explain ideas clearly. I avoid unnecessary psychological jargon because you don’t need a degree in psychology to benefit from therapy. If something doesn’t make sense the first time, I’ll adjust my approach until it does. I see every person as far more than a collection of symptoms or labels. Each individual is shaped by thousands of experiences, relationships, and choices. I bring a holistic, integrative perspective that honors your unique lived experience and works collaboratively to find solutions that truly fit your life.
You’re coming to therapy for a reason. You may be struggling with anxiety that steals your peace, relationships that feel distant or conflicted, grief, trauma, addiction, health challenges, or major life transitions that leave you feeling lost. Sometimes the issue isn’t a crisis at all — it’s a quiet realization that life no longer feels meaningful or authentic. While you may feel stuck, frustrated, or uncertain about what to do next, you are open to exploring new perspectives and experimenting with different ways of approaching old challenges. Therapy works best as a true collaboration. I especially appreciate clients who are willing to share honest feedback about what is helping and what isn’t, so we can adjust our work together. I am particularly experienced with and well-positioned to serve: • Individuals struggling with addiction • Individuals facing major medical diagnoses, treatment, and life after treatment • First responders (police, firefighters, sheriff deputies, and other emergency personnel) I understand the unique toll this work can take, having trained and worked with law enforcement for many years. • Justice-involved individuals reentering the community • Parents who are struggling with raising children and teenagers • Clients who want to integrate their Christian faith or spiritual practices into the therapeutic process • Spiritual seekers exploring meaning, purpose, and different contemplative traditions
Other specialties
Integrative
My approach is integrative and holistic. This means I draw from multiple therapeutic methods and tailor them to your unique needs, background, and goals. Rather than using a single style of therapy, I blend evidence-based approaches — including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mind-body awareness, strength-based practices, solution-focused therapy, trauma-informed care, and spiritual or faith-informed perspectives when relevant to you. This flexible way of working allows us to address your concerns on multiple levels: thoughts, emotions, behaviors, physical sensations, relationships, and deeper questions of meaning and purpose. The goal is to create a personalized path forward that honors your full lived experience and supports lasting, meaningful change.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
ACT focuses on awareness and acceptance of our painful or difficult feelings while helping us take committed action toward our values. Values are the qualities, relationships, and commitments that matter most to you. ACT helps us notice choice points in daily life and make decisions that move us toward the kind of life and person we want to become. For example, you may value being present with your family but find yourself spending much of your evening scrolling on your phone. Most of us have experienced these moments when our actions don't fully reflect what matters most to us.
Mind-body approach
Our minds and bodies are deeply interconnected. Anxiety may show up as stomach tension, stress as headaches or tight shoulders, and grief as a heavy feeling in our bodies. Sometimes our bodies recognize something is wrong before we can fully put it into words. By learning to slow down and listen to these body signals, we can increase awareness and respond to life’s challenges with greater clarity and intention.
Faith based therapy
Faith, spirituality, and deeply held beliefs often shape how we understand suffering, relationships, and purpose. Whether you are part of a specific faith tradition, spiritual, agnostic, atheist, or still exploring, I welcome conversations about how your beliefs influence your life. I meet you where you are — my role is not to tell you what to believe, but to support you in exploring how your values and worldview can aid your healing and growth.
Strength-Based
Our brains are naturally wired to notice danger and threats. To explain this, I often ask clients: “If you were walking through a jungle and saw a mango and a tiger, which would you focus on first?” Most people say the tiger, because it could be dangerous. While this helped our ancestors survive, it can cause us to overlook our strengths and successes. A strength-based approach helps us see a more complete picture — your resilience, relationships, values, skills, and past successes — and use them as a foundation for change.