As a Washington Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist I work from a view that relationships are the container for human development, that emotions are the primary driver of behavior, and that one’s implicit (unconscious) thoughts matter. I honor the belief that you are the expert on your own life and relationships. My expertise is in listening and understanding you, bringing in the latest research to your challenges, and creating experiences that connect you to your own unlimited resources.
Your goals for therapy will drive our process and I will cherish you as the unique and unrepeatable gift to this world that you are.
Being a marriage and family therapist is a second career for me. In 2016 I went back to school for my masters at Seattle University in Couples and Family Therapy and received my license. I am now pursuing my doctorate from Liberty University in counseling. Prior to that I spent 20 years as an U.S. Army Infantry officer and 7 years in the corporate world. In these professions, I discovered firsthand how difficult it is to balance professional work demands and a commitment to a rich family experience and marriage. It is through these experiences, and that of being a husband of over thirty years and a father of four, that I have developed a deep passion for helping families.
Moreover, both of my masters and doctoral programs have emphasized infusing one’s faith into the clinical practice of therapy. I am comfortable discussing foundational matters of faith and religion in our therapy for those who desire to. As a combat vet and former EMT/volunteer firefighter, I have a heart for working with military and first responders and understand firsthand the language and the stressors that it brings to both the members and their families.
As a Marriage and Family Therapist I work with all mental health challenges and relationship distress and do not specialize in any particular area. With children 3-10 years-old, I primarily use play therapy and Filial play therapy, which brings parents into the child therapy process. With adult individuals I rely on a blend of psychodynamic and process experiential or family systems therapies. For couples I primarily use Imago therapy and I am a certified in PREPARE/ENRICH marital and premarital counseling. When working with families I tend to use an integration of Bowen Family Systems and Structural Family Systems.
I am also a hypnotherapist and I use this mode as an adjunct to psychotherapy to deepen the healing experience. With hypnotherapy we can discover unconscious thoughts and strong feelings that impact how you live your life today, and we can reduce their power over you. I would be honored to walk alongside you as you overcome your mental health challenges and/or relationship distress.