(they/them)
I believe therapy works best when it feels human, safe, and real. Iâm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker who enjoys walking alongside people as they sort through lifeâs challenges and begin to understand themselves more clearly. Many of the individuals I work with feel anxious, stuck, disconnected, or unsure of their direction. My role is to help you slow down, gain insight, and move forward with greater clarity and confidence. My work is grounded in Internal Family Systems (IFS), Gestalt therapy, and Bowenâs concept of differentiation. In simple terms, that means we explore your thoughts, emotions, and patterns with curiosity rather than judgment. We look at the different âpartsâ of you that may be in conflict and help you develop the ability to stay true to yourself while staying connected to others. Over time, this often leads to healthier boundaries, stronger relationships, and a deeper sense of balance. I value honest conversation and believe meaningful growth comes from awareness paired with action. Therapy with me is collaborative and compassionate, but also practical. I want you to leave sessions with insight you can actually apply in your daily life. On a personal note, Iâm married and a proud father of four adult children. I enjoy traveling, spending time on the golf course, and continuing to grow both personally and professionally. I believe growth doesnât stop at any stage of life, and I try to live that belief myself. If youâre ready to understand yourself more fully and create lasting change, Iâd be honored to support you in that process.
Starting therapy can feel like a big step, and itâs normal to feel a mix of curiosity and uncertainty. In our first session, weâll simply begin by getting to know each other. Iâll invite you to share whatâs been weighing on you, what led you to reach out, and what you hope might be different in your life. Iâll ask some thoughtful questions about your background, relationships, and current challengesânot as an interrogation, but as a way to understand your story more fully. You can share at your own pace. Thereâs no pressure to have everything figured out or explained perfectly. Together, weâll start identifying themes and patterns that may be shaping your experience. Weâll also talk about your goals and what progress would look like for you. My aim is to make sure you leave that first session feeling heard, understood, and clear about next steps. Most importantly, I focus on creating a space that feels safe, respectful, and free of judgment from the very beginning. Therapy is a collaborative process, and our relationship matters. If we decide to continue working together, weâll build from that foundation of trust and clarity. You donât have to have it all sorted out before coming in. Weâll start wherever you are.
One of my greatest strengths as a therapist is my ability to help people slow down and truly understand whatâs happening beneath the surface. Many clients come in feeling overwhelmed, anxious, stuck in patterns, or disconnected from themselves. I help create clarity in the middle of that noise. I bring a calm, grounded presence into the room. Clients often tell me they feel safe being honest â even about the things theyâve never said out loud. I believe real change begins when people feel understood rather than judged. My work is informed by Internal Family Systems (IFS), Gestalt therapy, and Bowenâs concept of differentiation. That means I help clients recognize the different âpartsâ of themselves that may be in conflict, explore emotions in the present moment, and develop the ability to stay true to who they are while remaining connected to others. Differentiation is a core theme in my work â helping clients build stronger boundaries, reduce emotional reactivity, and respond rather than react in relationships. Another strength is blending insight with practicality. Therapy with me isnât just about understanding why something developed; itâs about learning how to shift it. Clients leave sessions with both deeper awareness and tools they can apply in real life. Iâm also comfortable discussing difficult topics â trauma, addiction, relational pain, shame, identity â while maintaining hope. I believe growth is possible at any stage of life. I try to model that belief through my own continued learning and reflection. Ultimately, my strength is helping people feel more solid within themselves â more grounded, more clear, and more capable of navigating life with intention rather than fear.
I work best with individuals and couples who are open to looking a little deeper â people who may feel stuck in anxiety, relationship tension, self-doubt, or emotional overwhelm and are ready to understand whatâs driving those patterns. Many of the people I work with recognize that their current struggles are connected to earlier experiences â family-of-origin dynamics, unresolved trauma, or growing up in environments where emotional needs werenât fully met. Some identify with the Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA) experience, while others simply want to feel more solid within themselves and more balanced in their relationships. My ideal clients donât need to have everything figured out. What matters most is a willingness to reflect, to be curious about themselves, and to move toward healthier ways of living and relating. Whether youâre navigating a major life transition, working through past wounds, managing addiction patterns, or trying to strengthen your marriage or partnership, I aim to provide a steady, grounded space for growth. If you want to better understand yourself, improve how you show up in relationships, and develop a stronger, more confident sense of self, we may be a good fit.
Other specialties
I identify as
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
My work with Internal Family Systems (IFS) has deepened my ability to help clients identify and relate to their inner âpartsâ with curiosity and compassion, recognizing protectors, managers, and exiles as natural expressions of the self. From a Gestalt perspective, I draw on the here-and-now focus, encouraging clients to notice their embodied experience and experiment with new ways of relating to those parts in session. The Adult Children of Alcoholics (ACA) framework enriches this process by illuminating how family-of-origin dynamics often shape these inner roles, especially patterns of caretaking, fear of abandonment, and difficulty with differentiation. Together, these approaches help clients reclaim self-leadership, integrate fragmented parts, and move toward emotional sobriety and healthier connection with themselves and others.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
My experience with Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) centers on helping clients shift from struggling against painful thoughts and feelings to opening up and making space for them. ACT teaches that suffering often comes from trying to control or avoid inner experiences, which can pull us away from what matters most. I integrate this with Gestaltâs focus on awareness in the present moment and ACAâs emphasis on breaking free from survival roles that keep people stuck in fear or control. Together, these approaches support clients in practicing mindfulness, building psychological flexibility, and clarifying personal valuesâso they can take committed action toward a life that feels authentic, connected, and meaningful.
Gestalt
My experience with Gestalt Therapy emphasizes the importance of awareness, presence, and personal responsibility. I encourage clients to bring attention to what is happening in the present momentâemotionally, physically, and relationallyâso they can recognize patterns that may be operating outside of their awareness. Drawing from the ACA framework, I help clients notice how unfinished business from childhood or family-of-origin dynamics often shapes current reactions and roles. In practice, I blend Gestaltâs experiential methodsâsuch as dialogue, role-play, and attention to body languageâwith IFSâs compassionate parts work, creating opportunities for integration and healing. This process supports clients in developing authenticity, self-acceptance, and deeper emotional connection with themselves and others
5 ratings with written reviews
June 4, 2026
Got a referral from Kaiser Permanente, great session, very authentic, great point of view.đ
March 12, 2026
Dr. Butler was very comforting to speak to on a first time meeting, and we had a discussion that had a balance of both of us opening up. He was willing to listen to me while being able to find ways to relate back in the process. I didn't feel talked over or talked down to, but rather in conversation with someone who wanted to understand me more. That means a lot to me
February 12, 2026
First session with Sean was awesome. He is a great communicator and made feel at ease, in an exercise that can often be stressful.