Specialties

I count the following as areas in which I am the most skilled, trained and/or proficient. Some of these have been passions of mine for many years, some are relatively new. I provide a brief synopsis of each for clarity, but these are all areas that could take a lifetime to explore or explain.

• Experiential / Somatic Approaches
  • Many clinicians today believe that true learning and unlearning of behaviors and ways of being cannot take place without involving the body and the full realm of the senses. I am currently an advanced student in Hakomi, an experiential modality, and plan to become a certified Hakomi therapist.
• Alternative Sexualities and Lifestyles
  • Sexual variance, fringe communities, alternative living arrangements; all of these are often misunderstood and judged. I have been working with these communities for almost 20 years, and provide a safe, non-judgmental space to explore issues related (and unrelated) to one's alternative way of self-expression.
• Anxiety & Depression
  • Two of the most common ailments of our time, these mental states can make life increasingly unbearable. I utilize CBT, mindfulness and experiential approaches to address these potentially crippling states of being.
• Gender Identity and Transgender Concerns
  • I have been working with trans clients since the mid-90's, making me one of the longest-running psychotherapists to work with this population. Since that time, the options and protections for trans individuals have increased dramatically, yet there is still much work to be done in terms of education and advocacy.
• Polyamory
  • Many individuals opt for non-traditional relationship models, of which polyamory is one of the more common (and often one of the most hotly debated). I have worked with many people in the polyamory community, including people like Dossie Easton, author of the original polyamory handbook, The Ethical Slut, whom I count as a colleague and a friend.
• Trauma Exploration and Resolution
  • Utilizing more somatic techniques, such as found in Hakomi trainings and in the work of Peter Levine, I provide treatment for both situational and chronic trauma. Many people are unaware that trauma is sometimes at the root of other difficulties that they are experiencing; having the help of someone knowledgeable in this area can be life-saving.
• Couples Counseling
  • Couples counseling can be used for a variety of relationships, including family, friends, and yes, couples. My orientation is based mostly on John Gottman's work and experiential approaches.
• Substance Use / Abuse
  • Addiction can cause a huge roadblock in the road to wellness and happiness. I have 20 years experience in substance abuse treatment modalities, from 12-Step programs to harm-reduction models.

Other Areas of Interest

• BDSM/Kink
  • I provide non-judgmental counseling that is kink-aware and sensitive to the particular set of needs of people in these communities. Power dynamics, boundaries, and safety are just some of the issues that can be of particular interest to people attracted to these lifestyles.
• Grief and Loss
  • Grief and loss are part of life, but can sometimes generate a "stuckness" that causes great difficulty. I assist people in experiencing what they need to experience from these life lessons, and then help them integrate these aspects in a way that allows them to move forward with their lives.
• Spirituality
  • I am open to working with a wide array of spiritual approaches, and often integrate them into the therapeutic work itself.