LCSW, 6 years of experience
I help professionals in recovery who are carrying more than anyone realizes. Many of my clients are high-achieving people who have spent years holding everything together on the outside while privately struggling with alcohol, substances, compulsive behaviors, anxiety, or burnout. They’re people who have been depended on—at home, at work, and in their families—and they’re tired of performing, hiding, or white-knuckling their way through life. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with years of experience in addiction recovery, trauma, and life transitions, I bring a grounded, practical, and compassionate approach. My work is deeply influenced by Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), values-based living, and helping clients build a life that feels aligned rather than pressured or chaotic. I understand that asking for help—especially as a professional—comes with unique challenges: reputation concerns, workplace stress, perfectionism, shame, fear of consequences, and relationships strained by years of coping alone. My role is not to judge or lecture, but to offer a private, steady space where you can talk openly, regain clarity, and take meaningful steps toward a healthier, more peaceful life. Whether you’re navigating early sobriety, long-term recovery, career demands, relationship stress, or a sense that you’ve lost yourself, I’m here to walk with you—not as an authority figure, but as someone who respects the courage it takes to show up. If you’re ready for therapy that’s confidential, respectful, and tailored to the realities of being a professional in recovery, I’d be honored to support you.
Your first session with me is a steady, grounded conversation—not an interrogation, not a performance, and not a test of whether you “deserve” help. Most of my clients are professionals in recovery who are used to holding everything together on the outside while quietly struggling with addiction, anxiety, burnout, or loneliness. In our work, you don’t have to impress me, minimize anything, or hide. We start simply. I’ll ask what brought you in, and you can begin wherever it feels easiest—work stress, relationship patterns, recovery challenges, or even just, “I’m not doing well.” You set the pace. Some clients talk immediately; others ease in. Both are welcome. From there, we’ll explore what you’ve been carrying: the pressures of your role, the impact of addiction or compulsive behavior, the fears you don’t say out loud, and the emotional weight that comes from living a double life. I’m listening not for flaws, but for clarity—so we can understand your reality and what you want your life to feel like moving forward. I bring a calm, straightforward presence. I won’t shame you, sugarcoat things, or overwhelm you. Expect compassion with honesty, validation with direction. You’ll get a sense of my ACT-informed style right away—paying attention to what your mind tells you, what your emotions signal, and what your deeper values are trying to pull you toward. By the end of the session, most clients feel relief: a sense of not having to perform, a clearer picture of what’s happening internally, and the feeling that they don’t have to navigate recovery or professional pressure alone. Your first session is the beginning of a private, respectful, confidential partnership—one designed to help you regain stability, dignity, and direction at a pace that honors your life.
My greatest strengths as a therapist are steadiness, clarity, and depth. I work especially well with professionals in recovery who are used to functioning at a high level while quietly carrying fear, shame, or exhaustion. Clients tell me they feel genuinely understood—without judgment, pressure, or pretense. I’m skilled at getting to the heart of a problem quickly, helping people untangle old patterns, and offering insight in a way that feels both honest and compassionate. I bring a calm presence, strong clinical instincts, and a clear understanding of addiction, anxiety, and the emotional toll of chronic self-reliance. I don’t get overwhelmed by intensity or complexity; I help people make sense of it. And I don’t expect perfection—just willingness. My work is grounded, confidential, and focused on helping you stabilize, recover, and live in alignment with your values.
My ideal client is a high-achieving professional who has spent years holding everything together on the outside while quietly struggling on the inside. They may be navigating addiction, anxiety, burnout, or a major life transition, and they’re tired of carrying it alone. They value privacy, directness, and meaningful work—not fluff or surface-level coping skills. Often, they’re people who feel responsible for everyone else, yet have never had a space where they get to fall apart, tell the truth, or be fully seen. They’re intelligent, insightful, and motivated, but they’ve hit a point where white-knuckling isn’t working anymore. My ideal client is ready for a therapist who is steady, grounded, and unafraid of complexity—someone who can help them understand their patterns, reconnect with their values, and build a life that feels stable, healthy, and aligned. They don’t need perfection. They just need a safe, honest place to finally breathe.
I use ACT as a practical, values-based framework to help professionals in recovery build stability, clarity, and long-term resilience. ACT isn’t about eliminating difficult thoughts or emotions—it’s about changing your relationship to them so they no longer run your life. In our work together, you’ll learn how to notice unhelpful patterns without getting pulled into them, make room for uncomfortable emotions without being overwhelmed, and take purposeful action aligned with the life you want to build. We’ll identify the values that actually matter to you—not the ones you’ve performed for others—and use them as a compass for recovery and personal growth. ACT helps my clients become less reactive, more grounded, and more intentional. It’s a model that respects your intelligence and your autonomy while giving you tools you can use every single day.
I use Motivational Interviewing to help clients clarify what they truly want—and to strengthen their own internal motivation for change. MI is collaborative and respectful; it doesn’t push, pressure, or lecture. Instead, it helps you explore the parts of you that feel ready for change and the parts that feel stuck. Together, we examine your values, your goals, and the obstacles getting in the way. I help you identify your own reasons for making healthier choices, not the reasons others expect of you. For professionals in recovery, MI creates a judgment-free space to talk openly about ambivalence, relapse risks, and the fears that come with change. The result is greater confidence, clearer direction, and a sense that you’re moving forward because you chose to—not because you were told to.
In my work, relational therapy is about using the therapeutic relationship itself as a vehicle for healing. Many professionals in recovery carry old wounds from relationships marked by pressure, criticism, or emotional inconsistency. These patterns often show up again in adulthood—at work, in relationships, and even in recovery. In our sessions, I pay close attention to how these dynamics may surface between us. Not to pathologize them, but to understand them with compassion. As trust builds, we can safely explore patterns like people-pleasing, overfunctioning, withdrawal, or fear of disappointing others. Relational therapy helps you experience something different: steadiness, respect, boundaries, and genuine human connection without performance. Over time, this corrective emotional experience reshapes how you relate to yourself and the people in your life. The goal is simple yet profound—helping you create relationships that support your recovery, your integrity, and your sense of self.
6 ratings with written reviews
July 7, 2025
Paul listens and provides insight that allows me to think through any next steps or perspectives to achieve a resolution/strategy moving forward.
June 2, 2025
We had a great first couples session with Paul. We like his laid back and down to earth personality, as well as, his process and goals for supporting couples.
May 17, 2025
Paul is an astute and compassionate couple's therapist. I don't think I could have found anyone better to help navigate a difficult time. Good couple's therapy takes away ambivalence/ambiguity and leaves you with clarity on how to proceed. Paul led us to a lot of clarity. Thank you, Paul.