About

I graduated from a M.S. mental health counseling program at Eastern Washington University (EWU) in 1995 and was certified in 1997. In addition to running a private practice in Seattle from 1995 through 2005, I also worked in an outpatient community clinic, an inpatient psychiatric hospital, at retreat centers, and a college counseling center before returning to graduate school in pursuit of a PhD in religious studies and cognitive sciences. I worked, studied, and lived in Europe, East Asia, and Africa before teaching 10 years at San Jose State University, with one of the most varied and diverse student populations in the entire world. This makes me very comfortable and confident working with many many different sorts of people as I want everyone and anyone to feel utterly at ease, welcome, and confident in my counseling practice. My M.S. program at EWU was famous for its rigorous training in micro-skills and advanced therapeutic modalities, so while my general approach to counseling is short-term and solution-focused with special attention to the working alliance, emotional dynamics, articulating values and constructing meaning, I am also trained in gestalt techniques, clinical hypno-behavioral therapy, psychodynamic, art therapy, psychodrama, motivational interviewing, career counseling, cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT). As an ex-Buddhist monk and meditator since 1987, I have a deep interest in psycho-spiritual practices from a wide variety of traditions, including shamanic practices; and with some background in hospice, grief, and bereavement counseling with families from many faith-traditions, I am comfortable with persons-of-faith and religious communities.