My Approach To Counseling
Many therapists like to stick to one modality, and that can be fine. But I believe that the greatest service you can do for clients is to provide them with as many treatment options as possible. After all, what may work for one person may not work for another. And by incorporating various modalities into a therapeutic approach, I can design a more dynamic and comprehensive healing plan.
In addition to EMDR, I use elements of ego-state therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for course-correcting harmful thought and behavior patterns. Somatic Therapy is a powerful tool for identifying, unlocking and releasing trauma, stress and anxiety in the body.
And similarly, because I also understand the importance of addressing the mind/body connection, I often incorporate mindfulness and meditation into sessions. In some ways, that reflects both my eclectic therapeutic nature and the inspiration I draw from Buddhism and spirituality—two important aspects of my life that also inform my healing philosophy.
Friends and people who know me would say that I am warm, supportive and nonjudgmental; I think I am also down to earth and honest. That is why, although you can always count on me for empathetic support and guidance, I will not sugarcoat things. You are here for answers and solutions—not lip service. And while I will never judge or push you harder than you are ready for, I will be sure to hold you accountable for your own healing and growth.
Helping Others Heal And Enrich Their Lives
I have had an analytical mind ever since I was very young—I always loved to debate topics with family and friends, seeking to uncover the reality behind the mystery. As I grew older, that curiosity quickly made me realize that a tedious job was never going to fulfill me. Helping others and engaging in something dynamic and enriching was the only path I saw for me, which is why I chose to pursue psychology.
My counseling philosophy is to treat all my clients as unique individuals and to help them to achieve their goals in the least amount of time possible. I do not believe in keeping clients in therapy forever; rather, I want to empower them with the self-awareness, coping strategies and life skills needed to realize their best selves. That said, sometimes, clients can benefit from and even prefer long-term support, and that is, of course, an option I can provide as well. My job is to tailor a treatment plan that truly resonates with each individual.
Believe me, I know what it is like to have therapists listen but not hear you. When I was younger, I lost my mother, and to process the pain, I went to a few therapists for guidance. Though some offered a measure of appreciated guidance, I found that, ultimately, my support was lacking. In one case, I felt that it made the pain of my loss even greater. So I resolved early in my career to always give people a space to be themselves without judgment or bias. Whatever you bring to the discussion, I will always help you feel validated and understood.
My Experience And Background In Therapy
Completing my training in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy switched a lightbulb on for me. It finally gave me a roadmap for working with complex traumas without exacerbating symptoms, and the results I saw were amazing. Clients with extensive trauma histories were healing—and their recovery was happening fast! People who spent years in talk therapy without making the progress they wanted were healing within a few sessions of EMDR. That’s one of the reasons why I’m so passionate about being an EMDR therapist and treating complex traumas.
I completed the EMDR basic training as well as additional training in attachment-focused EMDR, ego-state “parts” work and Gottman Level I. Anxiety and trauma are profoundly suited for EMDR. And the Gottman Method is a particularly effective counseling intervention that helps both couples and individuals enhance and repair their relationships. Moreover, my training also allows me to address issues related to anger, addiction, grief and loss, low self-esteem and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
I also have personal experience with anxiety, so I can completely relate to how debilitating it can be. However, I was able to use several of the very same coping strategies I teach clients for overcoming anxiety to manage my own. So I love sharing that with my clients because it shows that therapy works!
And because I identify as gay, I feel that my challenges and shared experiences with “otherness” make me easily relatable to the LGBTQIA community, people of color and other underrepresented demographics. In that way, I encompass a strong sense of cultural competency that, when combined with my extensive training, enables me to help those whom therapy may have failed in the past.
About Myself Outside of Therapy
In my personal life, I am passionate about social justice, equal rights and advocating for underserved populations. I am a huge animal lover and I enjoy being outdoors, swimming or hiking. And I love trying different restaurants, going to museums and traveling—anything that introduces me to new experiences, deepens my knowledge of people and enriches my well-being.
Many therapists like to stick to one modality, and that can be fine. But I believe that the greatest service you can do for clients is to provide them with as many treatment options as possible. After all, what may work for one person may not work for another. And by incorporating various modalities into a therapeutic approach, I can design a more dynamic and comprehensive healing plan.
In addition to EMDR, I use elements of ego-state therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) for course-correcting harmful thought and behavior patterns. Somatic Therapy is a powerful tool for identifying, unlocking and releasing trauma, stress and anxiety in the body.
And similarly, because I also understand the importance of addressing the mind/body connection, I often incorporate mindfulness and meditation into sessions. In some ways, that reflects both my eclectic therapeutic nature and the inspiration I draw from Buddhism and spirituality—two important aspects of my life that also inform my healing philosophy.
Friends and people who know me would say that I am warm, supportive and nonjudgmental; I think I am also down to earth and honest. That is why, although you can always count on me for empathetic support and guidance, I will not sugarcoat things. You are here for answers and solutions—not lip service. And while I will never judge or push you harder than you are ready for, I will be sure to hold you accountable for your own healing and growth.
Helping Others Heal And Enrich Their Lives
I have had an analytical mind ever since I was very young—I always loved to debate topics with family and friends, seeking to uncover the reality behind the mystery. As I grew older, that curiosity quickly made me realize that a tedious job was never going to fulfill me. Helping others and engaging in something dynamic and enriching was the only path I saw for me, which is why I chose to pursue psychology.
My counseling philosophy is to treat all my clients as unique individuals and to help them to achieve their goals in the least amount of time possible. I do not believe in keeping clients in therapy forever; rather, I want to empower them with the self-awareness, coping strategies and life skills needed to realize their best selves. That said, sometimes, clients can benefit from and even prefer long-term support, and that is, of course, an option I can provide as well. My job is to tailor a treatment plan that truly resonates with each individual.
Believe me, I know what it is like to have therapists listen but not hear you. When I was younger, I lost my mother, and to process the pain, I went to a few therapists for guidance. Though some offered a measure of appreciated guidance, I found that, ultimately, my support was lacking. In one case, I felt that it made the pain of my loss even greater. So I resolved early in my career to always give people a space to be themselves without judgment or bias. Whatever you bring to the discussion, I will always help you feel validated and understood.
My Experience And Background In Therapy
Completing my training in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) therapy switched a lightbulb on for me. It finally gave me a roadmap for working with complex traumas without exacerbating symptoms, and the results I saw were amazing. Clients with extensive trauma histories were healing—and their recovery was happening fast! People who spent years in talk therapy without making the progress they wanted were healing within a few sessions of EMDR. That’s one of the reasons why I’m so passionate about being an EMDR therapist and treating complex traumas.
I completed the EMDR basic training as well as additional training in attachment-focused EMDR, ego-state “parts” work and Gottman Level I. Anxiety and trauma are profoundly suited for EMDR. And the Gottman Method is a particularly effective counseling intervention that helps both couples and individuals enhance and repair their relationships. Moreover, my training also allows me to address issues related to anger, addiction, grief and loss, low self-esteem and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
I also have personal experience with anxiety, so I can completely relate to how debilitating it can be. However, I was able to use several of the very same coping strategies I teach clients for overcoming anxiety to manage my own. So I love sharing that with my clients because it shows that therapy works!
And because I identify as gay, I feel that my challenges and shared experiences with “otherness” make me easily relatable to the LGBTQIA community, people of color and other underrepresented demographics. In that way, I encompass a strong sense of cultural competency that, when combined with my extensive training, enables me to help those whom therapy may have failed in the past.
About Myself Outside of Therapy
In my personal life, I am passionate about social justice, equal rights and advocating for underserved populations. I am a huge animal lover and I enjoy being outdoors, swimming or hiking. And I love trying different restaurants, going to museums and traveling—anything that introduces me to new experiences, deepens my knowledge of people and enriches my well-being.