
Pronouns: He/him/his
Therapy Style: Collaborative, Non-judgmental, Strengths-Based
I have been in the mental health field for over 50 years now. It has always felt like a natural fit for my impulse to help and connect with people. There remains a stigma about mental health that while less than when I started remains a barrier for people who often feel misunderstood. I have learned I can help by sincerely listening to their concerns so that they feel heard. My work gives me great satisfaction and I missed connecting to people and helping when I retired from full-time work. I am often inspired by the people I work with for the challenges they have over come.
A non-judgmental attitude is essential to create a safe environment for clients to express themselves openly and I strive to create such a space in the therapy session. I use reflective listening to determine if I am understanding what the client intends to communicate. I will periodically ask them directly if I am meeting their needs and if I am missing something.
A strong therapeutic alliance requires that I understand the issues from the client’s perspective. To do this, I seek to learn about the client’s motivations, values, ethics, important relationships and culture. Clients often have strengths that they devalue and one of the task of therapy is to remind them of those strengths to build their confidence that they can achieve their goals. I want to gain agreement on the goals s of therapy and how we will work mutually to achieve them.
Lic # SW3162
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
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