My Background: I completed a PhD in Clinical Psychology in 2010 and worked in many settings: private practice, juvenile justice, veterans hospital, and university counseling center. I have experience with psychological assessment and training therapists. I am also a professor at UVU and train mental health counselors. I do research on therapy itself, what makes it work, and what can make it work better.

Therapy: I work especially well with people with anxiety, OCD, or perfectionism. I work well with people with depression or emotional difficulties around stressors. I have worked a lot with people on LGBTQ+ topics, a faith crisis, or trauma recovery. My approach to therapy is common factors therapy, emphasis on elements from across therapies: client-centered, emotion-focused, cognitive behavioral, and acceptance & commitment therapy. Mindfulness, self-compassion, and relaxation strategies are important in my work.

Therapy begins with me being open and supportive, focused on understanding concerns. My clients typically describe my manner as warm, gentle, and caring. We humans need to be heard and it is important that my clients feel understood by me. Emotions are welcome. I help clarify what my clients want from therapy and life, then tailor treatment accordingly.

Therapy with me is practical, focused on evidence-based strategies shown to be most effective. I aim to be responsive to concerns, so that we work in the direction that is most helpful for them.

Me: I’m human, foibles included. I grew up mainly in AZ and lived in 7 states or countries. My interests are introvert hobbies: reading, music (preferably at the same time), running. I spend more time than is probably healthy following the beautiful game and other sports.

I strongly believe that a good fit with a therapist is critical to benefiting from therapy. I offer a 15-min free consultation to help decide whether I am a good fit. Contact me to set up a free brief consultation or a full-length first session.