I knew I’d find myself in some sort of helping profession from an early age. My mom was a nurse and I spent a lot of time around her in nursing homes growing up. I was the kid that said “doctor!” when asked what I wanted to be when I grew up (because that and nurse were the only two helping-professions I really knew about…).
Beginning in high-school, I became more interested in the mind and our connections with others. Even though I initially wanted to become a therapist during that time, I entered college heading down a different helping path. One that I later found unfulfilling. I found it was missing one important piece, connection. Thankfully, I realized that early on and was able to shift back to my first interest, therapy.
I completed my training at Temple University and graduated with a Master’s in Counseling Psychology. I’ve worked in a variety of settings such as in a children’s inpatient hospital, a middle school, a high school, a community mental agency, and now currently in private practice.
Professional Counselor – PC015598
M.Ed in Counseling Psychology from Temple University
BA from Temple University
I’ve been described as a calm presence, someone who is relatable and humorous. I believe the most important aspect of therapy is the connection you have with your therapist. I strive to create a space where we can connect on a human level as two individuals trying to sort through life’s challenges. I help you sort through your concerns and find ways to build a rich and fulfilling life. I use techniques to support you in identifying your goals, aspirations, and values while also managing the difficult and uncomfortable thoughts and feelings that arise.
Therapy with me can alternate between being very exploratory and being behavior driven. We’ll look at what behaviors you have that aren’t working anymore and we’ll find new ways of engaging with your thoughts and emotions. I like to use metaphors to help make sense of the world, ourselves, and the skills you’ll be learning. We’ll also explore the questions of “Who are you?”, “Who do you want to be?”, and “How do we get there?” These can be challenging questions to answer, but week to week, you will get more information that will help guide you toward your overall goals.
You can read more about my approach here
I’ve worked with a wide range of individuals through the years but found I work best with people in their late teens to late 30s. Alongside this age-range, I work well with individuals who are a part of the LGBTQ+ community. As a gay male, I believe finding a practitioner with personal experience within the community is important to support connection and understanding.
I specialize in anxiety (primarily social anxiety, agoraphobia, and panic disorder), as well as what I like to call “connection concerns.” These can be anything related to your connection with others and the world such as loneliness, relational problems, setting boundaries, and more.
You may catch me having a lazy day hanging out with my cat Cantaloupe while playing Old School Runescape or some other video game. Sometimes I’m just out enjoying the weather, walking through nature and keeping an eye out for new and interesting birds. Or I might be engaging in a new hobby I picked up, one I’ll eventually struggle to stick with before switching to a newer, shinier one.