In many years of practice it has come to me that while every life is unique, it is, moreover, profoundly a novel carrying different themes and challenges. We have connections to the past, some family heirlooms, and boxes left in the attic, and emotional climates. Everyone learns their place. How are emotions handled or allowed? How are problems solved? What is it like to live with trauma or disease? In short, there are past experiences that are over and done with, and there is an ongoing past that is continually renewed, present, and often disruptive. 

My therapeutic model draws from two main streams: Gestalt therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. The former of these looks at the way we touch the world. It would say that the sharpness or brightness with which I make contact is muted, changed by background conflicts. I work with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to identify and modify toxic belief systems while building self-worth and internal strength. It has always been a privilege to be invited into the world of other people. I have worked at a variety of levels of treatment care addressing issues of depression, anxiety, and addiction 

Probably untangling the complexities in my own family after the sudden transformation of my father when I was 19 due to a cerebral hemorrhage. There was no one at the time that provided any support other than medical. This caused long term damage to my family.

Reading, sports and working out, traveling, and catching up with friends

talking to friends, working out, running

Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance, mostly because it centers over the reconstructing and rebuilding of someone's life after ECT. I enjoy books that address the challenges of human experiences and triumphant or not of the same.

Presbyterian Church. The mission of the church is alive in disaster response, support both national, and international. It's mission is one of tangible help in everyday life as well. "If a man asks me why I do good I know that is not a good man."

We presently have a pet cat which is quite in opposition to my upbringing. My father was the breeding director of the Seeing Eye, Inc. We grew up with German Shepherds. If dogs have different personalities my belief is that Shepherds take it very seriously. Shepherds think! My mother had a miniature poodle and the Shepherd would actually play tricks on it. He'd take her toy hide it elsewhere and watch what happened.