Areas I like to work in:
My main interest has been working with university-level student-athletes, as I find great meaning in guiding individuals of this demographic (or, rather, guiding them to guide themselves) through the challenges of being students, athletes, and young adults. For me, this work entails Martin Buber’s (1987) “I-thou” approach as I strive to have no expectations (while still challenging individuals accordingly), as student-athletes constantly find themselves being assessed and judged through measures such as grade point average, goals, assists, and other performance metrics.
More recently, I have found great meaning in being a support person for people involved in Social Justice work, and I am interested in becoming more active in this role.
What can people expect when working with me:
People can expect a culturally sensitive, strengths-based, relationship-centered approach focusing on environmental factors and emotional supports, as well as authenticity, a wise use of humor, and, when appropriate, light neuroeducation so we can better understand ourselves as human beings.
3-5 words my clients might use to describe me:
Compassionate, empathetic, emotionally attuned, insightful.
Why I decided to become a therapist:
At some point, I realized that it can be incredibly rewarding when one takes the time to search for the great strengths existing within individuals—strengths that often go unrecognized in systems such as Western education and high-performance sport. I have grown a lot as a person by learning from people I have worked with, seeing the incredible integrity they have demonstrated while taking on challenges, and watching them exercise their resilience while working through adversity. Although therapists see a lot of hurt, they also see a great deal of spirit, and it is the latter that inspires me to be not only a therapist, but a better person.
Something I enjoy outside of my role as a therapist:
Outside of my role as a therapist, I enjoy being out in nature, fishing, running, and having deep conversations with good friends.