Areas of expertise

My 10 years of clinical practice have focused on anxiety disorders, sex and relationship issues, body image concerns, eating disorders, OCD, and grief and loss. Within that work I have also supported clients overcome issues with self-worth, depression, perfectionism, trauma, abuse,  stress management, work-life balance, life transitions, insomnia, gender identity, transitioning, and other LGBTQ+ related concerns.  I also have a special interest and expertise in working with certain populations including actors, filmmakers, creatives, university students, those impacted by homicide or violence, and LGBTQ+ identified individuals. See below for more details.

Anxiety 

Anxiety. It’s something we all deal with but shouldn’t feel completely controlled by. My passion is helping clients to find their path to get it under control. Whether it’s a general sense of dread, social anxiety, phobias, fear of the future, worries about failure, or physical sensations that cause a sense of overwhelming panic – lets find the root cause and practical steps to address it. Everyone’s journey is different, but I will guide you to identify the root causes as well as teach you practical techniques that will help you regain control.

Sex and Relationship Issues

Supporting clients to explore their relationship with sex, intimacy, and romantic patterns is something I always feel energized and excited to tackle. We live in a society where so many rigid and problematic beliefs get placed upon us from a multitude of different directions. and identifying how that’s influencing us can be tough to unpack alone. Whether that's issues with avoidance, difficulty with arousal, infidelity, communication problems, open-relationships/non-monogamy, or boundary setting, we can figure it out

OBsessive Compulsive Disorder

​Perhaps one of the most misunderstood and misportrayed mental health issues in pop-culture is obsessive compulsive disorder. In the media OCD is often portrayed as obsessions around cleanliness, or following certain counting patterns like checking the to make sure the stove is off 3 times. In reality OCD can encompass a board range of obsessive rituals and compulsive behaviors as well as mental engagement with related worries. Common obsessive rituals may including repeating an action, like counting or wearing a ring in order to prevent something "bad" from happening to others. It could also involve avoiding things like a balcony or a particular person after thinking of violent imagery involving that place or person.  Obsessive intrusive thinking consists of random meaningless thoughts that are often disturbing and unfortunately reoccur in one’s minds. Unfortunately people with OCD often mistakenly conclude these thoughts to be something meaningful – even though it’s just a random thought that means nothing that anyone can have.  In my practice I have supported clients to identify, discredit, and disengage from a range of obsessions including self-harm or harming others, sexuality, gender, and whether one is a good or bad person.

Body Image & Eating Disorders

Body image concerns and eating disorders don’t discriminate. In the past we used to think of body image issues and eating disorders as an issue mainly affect straight white woman. What we know now is that these issues can impact anyone regarding of gender, sexual orientation, race, and ethnicity. We live in a world now where social media, the fitness industry, and pop culture constantly push their own agendas and ideals of what it means to be desirable, attractive, healthy, and fit. I have a special interest and training in supporting clients to identify and disrupt the beliefs and patterns of behavior that keep a negative relationship with one's body and disordered eating alive. 

Admitting one needs to work on these issues is the first start. Depending on the nature or severity of the concern one can expect to work with me anywhere from once or twice a week. My services may not be appropriate with clients who are severely underweight and in need of in-patient care, however I'm happy 

Actors, Filmmakers, and Creatives

​Since childhood I have had an immense appreciation for actors and storytellers. Studying drama and film, while participating in theatre during high school was a great source of confidence as well turbulence. The anxiety I felt when I got in my head felt so overwhelming at times I would come close to calling in sick whenever I had to perform. I was constantly comparing myself to others and bringing myself down by thinking ‘I should be where they’re at!.” Luckily therapy helped me break the cycle of negative self-talk and avoidance, which is the reason why I’m so passionate about working actors, filmmakers, and creatives. I believe once we learn to tame our inner critic, steady our mind into the present, and relate to ourselves with kindness and respect, our talents have the ability to flow at their greatest potential. 

LGBTQ+ Related Concerns And Mental Health

​To be apart of the LGBTQ+ community is to know struggle. At some point in life our lives we’ve faced it, whether it’s coming to terms with who we are, navigating intimate or family relationships, or quite frankly living in a world that doesn’t always think or want to make room for us. I know this can be especially challenging for BIPOC folks, who can exclusion and discrimination within their own community but also from the LGBTQ+ community itself. Some folks have even faced trauma and deep psychological pain stemming from violence, psychological abuse, and/or rejection. My skills and lived experience as a gay man and unrelenting advocate for other queer people, including BIPOC folks, are here to support you as you find and forge your path forward.