My Approach to Helping
I am a Master of Social Work graduate of Arizona State University (2009) with fourteen years of experience in the mental health field. I am an Air Force Veteran, the son of a Vietnam Veteran, and I have worked as a Social Worker for the Department of Veterans Affairs for most of my professional career. I have approximately ten years of experience working with adolescents with emotional and behavioral issues. I have experience helping clients to address depression and anxiety through Motivational Interviewing (MI) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT). I have specialized extensive expertise in the treatment of substance use disorders. I have familiarity working with clients with PTSD and other stress-related disorders, including racial trauma. I have deep respect for those willing to participate in growth and development. I try to always foster a warm, kind, and genuine approach to therapy that allows people to speak as they feel and to be themselves. It is important to me to create a safe space for the individual or couple that I meet with. I desire to foster the qualities of self-understanding, self-esteem, and empowerment.