ABOUT ME

First and foremost I am a father of two great kids, young adults now, and I’m married to the wonderful woman I first fell in love with in 1991. Born the Bay Area, I’ve lived in the Auburn foothills for over 20 years. I love to ski, hike, cook, read, visit the ocean, and appreciate the beauty of everyday moments.

I am also a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, Registered Art Therapist, and Certified Brainspotting Practitioner. I view therapy as a process of unhooking the pieces of soul that got snagged on the jagged points life so we can bring them back together and feel whole and filled with light. In my personal experience, this "gathering in" of my lost pieces has helped me feel internally balanced—with a renewed sense of self, increased energy, and sometimes profound mental clarity. I am fascinated by humanity and feel amazingly privileged to be welcomed in to peoples lives in their most confidential struggles with pain, potential, and love.

CLINICAL BACKGROUND

My origin story: I was a 22 year old Studio Art major at UC Davis when I first heard about Art Therapy...It was during a flight back from my grandfathers funeral sitting next to my Aunt Lynn, who taught psychology at Stanford. Like many, I’d never heard of Art Therapy before, but once she explained it, something just clicked. Combining my love of expressive art, my ability to calmly connect with people, and my desire to better understand inter- generational dynamics made perfect sense. I am so very glad she shared her wisdom. This serendipitous moment turned my path towards Norte Dame de Namur University, where I completed my Masters Degree in 1995. Since then, continuing education has added greatly to my repertoire. I’ve really enjoyed being able to invent new therapeutic processes, like Whole Self Counseling, while also delving deeply into today’s great brain science advancements, like Brainspotting.

My resume includes a variety of jobs as a mental health specialist and team leader at settings such as Intensive Day Treatment Schools, Uplift Family Services, and Placer County Juvenile Hall. I most enjoy counseling tweens, teens, and adults, and I focus on creating dynamic relationships based on truth and trust, so that I can help foster recovery, communication, and growth. For the past decade I’ve been working as a private practitioner which has allowed me to hone my niche. My areas of expertise are developmental life-stage changes, depression, non-defensive communication, anti- bullying, stress, anxiety, PTSD, trauma recovery, and developing heart-centered personal goals.

My clients say I am kind, calm, and insightful.

My treatment approach is to provide immediate support and compassionate guidance to help clients resolve current problems and/or long-standing patterns. I am a practical, interactive, solution-focused, and insight-oriented therapist. I incorporate a blend of conventional and ground breaking techniques, in a responsive search to find what will be most helpful for each client. With sensitivity and stability, I work with each individual to help them build on their strengths, so that they too may find their serendipity.

Lastly, I have presented at several California professional conferences and to various parent-focused groups on topics ranging from art therapy to mindful self improvement to suicide intervention. (Please contact me directly for any presentation needs.)