Personal Information

I think a prospective client has a right to know something of who a therapist is and where she or he has been as a human being. Counseling is not just about knowledge, experience, and technique, but also about character and authenticity.

When I was about twenty, I developed a severe problem with drugs. I am grateful that with the help and support of others I was able to overcome my addiction. It has been thirty years since I have misused drugs.

After I withdrew from drugs, I experienced years of intense emotional upset. This occurred because of the unresolved emotional issues that helped drive me to self medicate with chemicals in the first place, and the damage the addiction itself inflicted. I have been emotionally healthy for over twenty-five years. I attained emotional healing and maturity by getting excellent help and working hard at it.

I have been married to the same wise, beautiful, and strong woman for forty years and have known her for forty-five. We have an excellent marriage, although it was not always so. When our marriage was broken (“smashed” would be more accurate) we worked hard to fix it. We have two healthy adult sons and, as I write this, my first grandchild has been born. I get along famously with my mom. I have good relationships with my brother and all my family members, including nephews and cousins. When I worked at my last agency, I had great relationships with my colleagues, a few of whom are still close friends. While, of course, not everybody who knows me loves or even likes me, I am generally blessed with terrific relationships that I don’t take for granted and work to maintain.

I exercise regularly and make it my business to eat right. By the way, eating right is not easy for me, I love food. I have lofty goals and ambitions that I am working very hard to create. Still, I don't take myself too, too seriously. Lastly, blessedly, I have a healthy dose of serenity, the most important good of all.