Pronouns: He, Him
License: LMFT
Education: The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, Bachelor of Arts in Communications; Antioch University, Los Angeles, CA, Master’s Degree in Psychotherapy
While some clients begin therapy seeking a “cure,” I offer care. I am often in awe of clients’ willingness to look inward, as this allows us to discover what defenses are no longer serving you—and what may be demanding your emotional attention.
And as an enlightened witness to the lives of couples, I do not take sides; rather, I am on the side of the relationship.
When I decided to become a psychotherapist, I wanted to primarily help members of my own LGBTQ community. When I started my own therapy in my 20s my belief that another gay man could better empathize my experiences – and offer a kind of “shorthand” – proved to be correct. Who better to help a gay twenty-something sift through emotional debris than an experienced and educated gay man?
My specializations for individuals and couples are varied and include negotiating monogamy; anxiety and depression; the pleasures and perils of social media; body image, perfection-seeking and self-esteem; trust and betrayal; recreational substance use/abuse, addiction and recovery; externalized and internalized homophobia; sexually compulsive behavior; family and career stressors; and unaligned libidos within couples.
Prior to beginning the study of psychology, I worked for two decades as an entertainment executive for several studios and networks. This gives me a unique empathetic understanding for clients who work in the creative fields. Additionally, I worked as the media director of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), ensuring the fair and balanced portrayal of our community in film and television. This was sometimes grueling, but always rewarding work.
I received my Master of Arts in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University in Los Angeles, my Bachelor of Arts in Communication from The Ohio State University, my home state. I am a member of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT).
I understand that choosing to begin the therapeutic process may be a difficult decision for some. This is why my approach towards emotional wellness is one of warmth, humor and unconditional, positive regard towards every client, allowing for an authentic and beneficial relationship to begin.
