Often people end up struggling with their mental health because they feel lost or powerless in our culture’s seemingly unrelenting hustle. I know what it’s like to try to keep up with that hustle, to try to fit external pressures and expectations, to be so steeped in trying to “succeed” that we lose track of how far we’ve strayed from being honest with ourselves about who we truly are. But I assure you, there is another way.

I chose to become a therapist because I’ve always been captivated by personal stories and our processes of making sense of the world around us. I am drawn to questions such as: How do power, privilege, and oppression play a part in our understandings of ourselves and our own humanity? Why do we build the patterns and defense mechanisms that we do? How can we take steps toward feeling seen, heard, understood, validated, and powerful? Sitting in the therapist’s chair is an honor, as I join the people I work with in their courageous journey of self-discovery and healing.

Outside of work, I find peace and respite from the busy world by moving my body, and connecting with nature and loved ones, whether that be deepening my meditation practice, hiking through rugged forest trails with my wife and our big goofy dog Milton, or savoring a beautiful home-cooked meal with chosen family.