I believe that we all have a natural, inherent drive toward health and physical, emotional, psychological, and spiritual well-being. The ‘work’ of therapy is to bring forward that tendency toward healing by developing a safe therapeutic relationship that nurtures the true self. We each have unique experiences that all too often have been discounted or even abused, and we carry the pain of those wounds into our relationships with others and most significantly, with ourselves. Developing self-compassion gives rise to the blossoming of hopes and desires that have been subsumed by the dysfunction in which we are raised or the traumas we have survived. Therapy is the process of regaining the original fundamental person that is within each of us, even though the path there is sometimes challenging. My goal with each client is to become their ally and provide them with a setting that will allow the conditions for healing to take place. I believe that is there for all of us, regardless of our condition.
About Me – I’m a 67-year-old gay man and a retired Episcopal priest who ‘failed’ at retirement! The sedate life wasn’t for me, so I’m completing an MSW and taking on a new career as a therapist, working primarily with people who are recovering from trauma and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. I utilize an integrated approach from various therapeutic modalities including EMDR, Internal Family Systems, and Narrative Therapy among others. However, the primary modality I employ is building a stable and safe environment for people to realize their true self and potential. I’m especially interested in working with male sexual abuse survivors, though my work isn’t limited to any one specific area. As a clinical intern, I am supervised by Jenna Norton, LCSW. I have completed basic and advanced training in EMDR and I work with a consultant through the EMDR Institute in Watsonville, CA, and the EMDR International Association.