I have been a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Georgia (GA License # LPC008540) since 2011, coming to the profession later in life after spending 13 years in a variety of fields: commercial construction, carpentry, personal training, and finance. I have also trained and taught in various martial arts and fighting systems since 1987, which has nurtured a deep interest in physiology, history, culture, philosophy, and the mind-body connection. I primarily practice Buddhism, but through my own experiences and family ties, remain connected to many other religious paths and philosophies.

With such a weird and eclectic background, counseling turned out to be the perfect fit for me. My diverse and varied experience, training, and study helps me to relate to and work with clients from a wide variety of cultures and creeds. My history also informs my therapeutic approach, which could be described as integrative, client-centered, cognitive-behavioral, and existential, strongly influenced by the mindfulness-based philosophy and compassion of Buddhism. As the mind and body are intimately interconnected, my approach is also heavily influenced by my fitness background, martial arts training, and neurobiological research. Overall, my approach to counseling is holistic and multi-modal, underscored by the conviction that humans are wonderfully complex beings, constantly influencing and being influenced by the world around them.

Ultimately, my role as a counselor is to help others learn the tools, techniques, and philosophies to see themselves clearly and honestly, and to use that awareness to make choices and take actions that increase their wellbeing, peace, and sense of purpose. It is in taking responsibility for ourselves and our actions that we help the world; happy, ethical, and purposeful people tend to bring out the same qualities in those around them.

I work with Anxiety, Stress, OCD, Life Changes and Transitions, Men’s Issues, Spirituality, Physical Performance, and exploring Meaning and Purpose.