My Focus Areas
My Therapy Style
My professional identities have ranged from therapist to advocate for victims of crime to corporate finance professional. I have firsthand experience as a first-generation college graduate as well as a former manager of a team of 26 individual contributors. I have been partnering with clients to achieve their goals as a therapist since 2012. In addition to drawing from my own experiences, I see counseling theory and techniques as tools that can be accessed depending on the needs of my client, with advanced training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and relational theories.
Education & Training
MS - Mental Health Counseling, Emporia State University
Get to Know Me
Why did you become a mental health professional?
Growing up as the eldest sibling from a split family with lots of trauma history and a brother diagnosed with autism, I often found myself empathizing with others going through tough times. People seemed to gravitate toward me because they felt like I was a safe source of comfort and sometimes guidance. I had a deep desire in college to help others in college and decided to explore mental health counseling as a career.
What are your interests outside of work?
I play the piano, hang out with my pets (a dog named Addie and a kitten named Khaos), and spend quality time with friends and family as often as I can. I love to get outdoors and spend time near water or in the mountains whenever possible.
What is one thing you do daily that supports your well-being?
First thing I do is make my bed so that I kickstart the day with a small achievement. No matter what else happens that day, I end everyday knowing I achieved at least one task.
What book have you read more than once?
The Velvet Rage: Overcoming the Pain of Growing Up Gay in a Straight Man's World by Alan Downs, Ph.D. This book was instrumental in helping me better understand myself as a gay man in my youth and continues to provide insight and provoke thought every time I read it. It has also been helpful for many of my clients.
Do you have any pets?
I have a Mini Schnauzer named Addie and a Siberian kitten named Khaos. Addie's favorite thing to do is hunt for treats. I hide a treat somewhere in the house and tell her to "go find it". She gets really excited and frantically hunts for the treat! She also knows she gets three treats at a time, so if I only give her one or two, she knows and hunts and whines until she gets three treats. Khaos lives up to his name…he's a chaotic purr monster!
