My Approach to Counseling

A New Beginning

I like to start with a free one-hour initial counseling consultation in order for us to get to know each other. During the consultation you can share with me what brings you to counseling, while I explain the theoretical framework of my approach and answer any questions you have about my background. We can also complete a minimal amount of paperwork and discuss fees. I offer flexible fee arrangements so counseling can be accessible to most people. Our first meeting is about creating enough safety for the important work to begin.

Confidentiality

Communication in the office or over the telephone is completely confidential. That’s it! Plain and simple.

Uniqueness

Every person is unique. Your story, struggle, and creativity are yours alone, yet they assure your place in the human family. For counseling to be effective, our work together must be flexible, each session an original created just for you. I approach each client not only as unique but also as the real expert about him or herself. Many clients are relieved to hear that I avoid diagnosis in favor of putting my attention on your strengths, challenges and experiences.

Your Inherent Goodness

My approach assumes that we are born with a vast intelligence and the great potential of original thought. Moreover, we are inherently open to the possibilities life has to offer. We love to cooperate and find solutions. We are born loving, confident and zestful.

Something Happens

As adults these qualities can become blocked and obscured, in a sense stolen from us by an accumulation of past hurts. Many of us experienced loss, neglect, abuse or humiliation. In fact, any situation could have been hurtful which did not or did not seem to take into account our absolute intelligence and goodness. These experiences began early in our lives despite our parents’ best intentions. In addition, we may carry the accumulated distress we observed or sensed in our families and culture, passed on like a contagious disease.

As a result of the accumulated hurts, we might find ourselves “stuck” in a place where we are not living the life we imagine for ourselves.

The Elegant Solution

Fresh thinking and behavior emerge when one person listens to another with attention, care, and respect without judgments. One of my teachers gave me this useful idea: every person has done the best that she or he can, given the specific circumstances, and deserves neither blame nor reproach from anyone, including one’s self. Effective counseling reconnects us with our inherent power, intelligence, confidence, and ability to be close.

My Role as Counselor

My role is to remind you of your true nature and of the beautiful universe in which we live. I allow and encourage the natural and spontaneous process of emotional release that occurs when we tell our stories. The outward signs of this release might include, in addition to talking, the crying, laughing, trembling, yawning or other processes that indicate the release of confusion, grief, embarassment, fear, pain and anger. Most of us learned early in life to suppress these emotional processes. I create the attentiveness and safety necessary for you to recover from past hurts, fully reclaim your inherent nature, and begin to apply your unlimited intelligence and creativity to living the life you always knew was possible.

Areas of Counseling Expertise

I have worked with individuals, couples, families, groups and organizations for over ten years.

Mens Counseling

My first organization, Men’s Counseling Center NW, allowed me to develop expertise on men’s issues. I work with many men, and with women, on why it is so hard to get close to men.

Couples Counseling

I work with singles and couples around partnership, marriage, sex, communication and parenting.

As an experienced counselor for men, I am able to help make couple’s counseling safe for men as well as women. Many men fear that a couple’s counselor may do more damage than good, because they are afraid that counseling will break up a relationship. I am an ally to the relationship.

Issues

I have worked effectively with women and men to resolve issues around depression, anxiety, all kinds of addiction, self-esteem, childhood trauma, co-dependency, grief and loss, and abuse.

Coaching

I provide coaching support to individuals who are experiencing life transitions, and setting and achieving career and relationship goals.

Artists and Musicians

I also specialize in working with artists and musicians to completely reclaim creativity and pursue artistic visions. My own undergraduate degree was a self-designed concentration entitled “Counseling, Music, and the Performing Arts.” I am currently studying jazz piano.

I look forward to meeting you at a free consultation so we can determine if I can be of assistance to you, your sense of well-being, and your goals.