About

If you are considering counseling, then you want change, and change includes taking risks. Courage and hope are necessary to take those risks, and I will honor that fact with respect, care, compassion, and encouragement. Through more than 26 years’ experience as a counselor, I have learned to employ an eclectic collection of methods, giving careful attention to what is and is not effective or appropriate for each individual. In dialogue with you, I will do my best to listen, empathize, and understand you as deeply and completely as possible. I will also ask questions, sometimes challenging ones, to help us both attain greater clarity and explore possibilities. Beyond talk-based approaches, I am happy to provide suggestions for homework, such as behavioral experiments, writing, or reading. I am also very experienced with practices like meditation, mindfulness, and dreamwork

My view is that we are multifaceted beings – physical, emotional, intellectual, social, and spiritual – with both conscious and unconscious processes. It is also apparent to me that who we are and how we behave is shaped by our past, the present conditions of our lives, and by our vision for the future. No matter how we seek to learn and grow, all of these things should be addressed in some measure. With regard to spirituality, I have an extensive background in comparative religious studies and secular humanist philosophies, and welcome the opportunity to work within the context of your own beliefs, value system, or practices.

Finally, while in-person counseling is always preferable, I see virtual or electronic counseling as an ethical alternative in situations where people would not otherwise engage in counseling. That is especially true in these times when many people are concerned about exposure to diseases like Covid-19. It is my own personal ethical commitment to work with such clients either by phone or video, as they prefer. However, my first choice would always be video because it provides more opportunity for the nonverbal communication through which we get so much important information about each other. If you want to work with me, then I ask you to carefully consider doing so by video. In any case, I look forward to hearing from you.