In my opinion, any successful therapy relationship must first begin with an atmosphere of safety, trust, and mutual understanding of the challenges that lay ahead. Using this as a starting point, I view therapy as an opportunity for my clients to safely explore the self, which involves taking a closer, more intimate look at how one's experience of self impacts and is impacted by the world in which one lives. Ideally, this process involves the development of insight into how one experiences blocks or challenges in the world outside our selves – in relationships, work, academics, or creative pursuits.

While I tend to understand clients through a psychodynamic lens, I also believe in the importance of tailoring therapy to fit the individual. Using individualized interventions, I focus on helping my clients not only gain insight into those aspects of themselves that are outside usual awareness but also to develop an understanding of how those insights can be harnessed in an action-oriented manner to manifest lasting, positive change. This can and often does involve setting achievable behavioral goals between sessions to encourage steady forward progress in those realms of functioning that are most critical to the client.

Learning to put your work down is an important self care skill, something that perhaps many of us have confronted during these past 2+ years of the pandemic. For myself, I try my best to get outside, travel, spend time with family, and cultivate some hobbies that leave me with something tangible and concrete - e.g. woodworking or home projects.

Goodnight Moon. As anybody who has ever cared for or raised a child knows, good children's books are meant to be read again, again, and yet again. The repetition and ritual of these books can be quite comforting, to both the listener and reader.

I find that I recharge best through outdoor activities - hiking, biking, and just being outdoors. I also enjoy traveling and have lived and worked in a number of different areas around the world.