Becoming a Licensed Professional Counselor and a Registered Art Therapist reflect two deep passions of mine: creative expression and supporting others. Way before gaining the alphabet soup behind my name, I intuitively understood my life purpose was to understand how and why us humans are the ways we are. And more recently, with my certification in EMDR, certification as a Clinical Trauma Professional, and my training in KAP, this exploration of humanness has solidified within me the deep conviction that personal and collective healing and transformation is possible. So far, many of my days leading up to today have been sprinkled with intensity, heart-break, heart-opening, awe, wonder, and life-affirmation. Some of the biggest peaks and valleys as part of my journey have been the touch of significant loss, illness, death and grief; taking the spiritual & eternal Bodhisattva path as part of Mahayana Buddhism; and thriving through Queer-lived hardships and traumas. The gifts of perspective, abundance, stillness, dynamism, fortitude, and passion over my 30-some-odd years alive are just as worthy of being offered to the therapeutic relationship as are the clinical knowledge, advanced trainings, and professional development that is ongoing for me. There is zero doubt in me that I am moved to be a conduit of reverence, respect, non-judgmental presence, and advocacy for the unique needs and strengths of all those walking through my office doors.

 

Graduating from Naropa University's Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Art Therapy graduate program, I engaged in rigorous and fascinating field work informed by cognitive-behavioral, multicultural/feminist, mindfulness-based, transpersonal, developmental, and art-based therapeutic systems. I’ve had the pleasure of working in dynamic settings -including elementary schools, a bereavement center, art studios, a horse ranch- and with dynamic people -including grieving widows, single-parent kiddos, wide-eyed teens, new parents, adults of childhood trauma, and queer BIPOC youth. From graduate school, into my community mental health agency work with families affected by intellectual disabilities, and into my nine years of private practice work, my clients and I have relied upon on the wisdom of Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing (EMDR), Transpersonal Art Therapy, Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Applied Polyvagal Theory, Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP), Compassion-based Therapy, and Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT) to form an integrative approach to our work. My identity as an Integrative Therapist means I am continuously exploring and joining a variety of clinical and intuitive skills from various frameworks to enhance my clients' desired outcomes.

​

As a social justice-oriented therapist, I stand firmly against hate and discrimination of any kind. The foundations of our current mass society in the United States is built upon capitalistic gain, power and privilege differentials, and white supremacy values. These foundations are damaging, limiting, and unhealthy for all, especially for those with limited or minimal social privileges. Many are consistently fighting and struggling for validation of their experiences, a sense of wellness or wholeness, access to resources, and equitable policy, and it is crucial to consider and process these ongoing society-based traumas within our therapy relationship. Due to the colonial origins of psychotherapy itself and due to the harms this field has caused to many, currently and historically, I am dedicated to ongoing decolonization practices, including exploring, speaking, and addressing colonial attitudes and assumptions that effect clients, myself, and therapy relationship. As a White, academically-educated, English-speaking, able-bodied, cis-gender male, I use my privileges to provide relevant referrals, non-judgmental space, and active support to process all triggers and traumas my clients face, from the past and in the present, including traumas based on gender, race, ethnicity, age, sexuality, ability, national origin, religion, neurotype, socioeconomic status, and the current system of capitalism which we are all swimming in. 

​

The person you can expect in the room with you is a counselor who is present for your multi-dimensional self. I commit to drawing from many perspectives of psychology, philosophy, social activism, neuroscience, and spiritual practices to see the fullest spectrum possible of who you are. And in a quite pragmatic sense, our therapy together is about best serving you and your life, today, in a process of mutual collaboration and commitment. There is no question that wisdom and power is innately within you, even when or if it feels lost, stolen or dormant. Our mission then will be to metabolize and release the wounds of our past, in order to uncover the vitality of your life in the present, and to embolden hope and satisfaction in your life ahead. Again, therapy is a collaborative process, and it will be yours and my work together to meet goals unique, healing, and important to you and your world.