My Philosophy

I strongly believe that most mental health issues are a predictable and natural response to the trauma, negativity and loss inherent in living in an unjust world. We are not born unhappy – we become unhappy. At a young age we are conditioned to conform and adapt to the world around us in order to have our most basic needs met. Our ego serves an important function in this regard; it discards and then relegates to the shadow the parts of our nature that we perceive as being dangerous to our acceptance in the world. It matters not if those parts of our nature are positive or negative, light or dark, gifts or curses, hopes or fears, we cast them all out because others find them offending in some way. As children we must prioritize attachment over authenticity in order to survive, and as we grow into adults we continue to move through life that way without giving it a second thought. The problem is that the cumulative effect of this way of moving through life is devastating to our authenticity and wholeness.

Not surprisingly, this conditioning causes us to be out of sync with our true nature, thus we begin experiencing a host of negative emotions; from depression and angst, to pervasive feelings of unworthiness and inadequacy. Our suffering makes us feel very alone; estranged not only from others, but from our highest nature. Because we have cast out every substantial part of us that we think puts us at risk of acceptance, we have developed a multitude of complexes that have hindered out growth and emotional wholeness. We may stumble through life feeling disconnected, perhaps having lost all sense of identity, purpose, and hope - as though some critical part of us is missing; as if we are incomplete. When we suffer a loss on top of this disconnection, the result can feel truly devasting to our souls.

I believe it is our highest and most sacred work during this life to remember what we have forgotten; to recall what we once knew - not just the darker aspects of our nature, but also the forgotten parts of us we once held most dear. This is the Hero’s Quest - we embark on a journey to assimilate the unconscious parts of ourselves so that we can release the energy of our complexes and regain our wholeness. This is not easy work, but it is tremendously edifying, and when we are able to gain a sense of emotional balance and authenticity in our lives, we are much better equipped to deal with the unpleasantries that life sometimes throws our way.

Now for the good news: You already have all of the answers that you need deep within your unconscious - all you need is someone to help show you the way back to them. That’s where I come in.

My Areas of Expertise

While a good deal of the work that I do relates to treating grief and helping people explore death anxiety and end of life issues, I have been trained in a wide variety of competencies that allow me to work with nearly any presenting concern - from trauma to emotional dysregulation and almost everything in between, so if you are seeking help with issues outside of grief, I encourage you to contact me and we can have a conversation as to whether or not you feel we are a good fit for the work ahead.

My Orientation

While I am skilled in a number of different clinical best-practices to address a wide range of symptomologies, what sets me apart from other therapists in our community is that my work is most often performed through the lens of a transpersonal approach. I believe that there is much more to life, and death, then our five senses are normally able to perceive. I believe that we are flesh and blood and bone, yes, but more importantly, we are also all an amalgam of energy and and soul and spirit moving though life in an intricately interconnected way within the larger cosmos. As such, we are capable of great emotional depth, intuitive understanding, spiritually transformative experiences, and the kind of peace that comes from understanding that there is no separate self.

Our Work Together

My aim is to help you mine the shadows of your unconscious processes to help you uncover, reintegrate and joyfully celebrate your most authentic self; the truly beautiful and vulnerable self that exists deep within you. Unlike the limits of the ego-self, this higher understanding of self is not alienated from the rest of the universe, but rather, knows that it is an inextricable part of it. Whether you are coming to see me for matters stemming from grief and loss, or whether you are reaching out to me for the purposes of self discovery and spiritual and emotional growth, a transpersonal / depth psychology framework provides the foundation for all of the work we will be doing together. Within the context of that framework, I may introduce any number of potential interventions to help you along your journey and I will both implement and encourage the use of tools such as talk therapy, EMDR, Internal Family Systems, shadow work, dreamwork, meditation, guided visualization, shamanic journeying, art, creative spiritual ritual, bibliotherapy, cinematherapy, narrative therapy, mindfulness practices, and a host of other fascinating techniques to help move you along your path.

Peace and fulfilment is possible. It is already within you.