About
I’ve got to figure this out, or I’m screwed.
In our first session, Mike and I viewed each other on our computer screens. After some pleasantries, I waited while he sized me up and mustered the courage to say what was on his mind.
He opened with, “You’re probably wondering why I’m here, right?”
A little nervous about sharing but comfortably sitting in his home office with the door closed, he went on, speaking into his Bluetooth microphone: “I woke up the other day and hated the idea of going to work. I hadn’t really slept because my wife and I got into a fight the night before. So, I slept in the other room again and just laid there wide-eyed and thinking.”
As he gained more courage, he continued, “That’s been happening a lot lately, and it’s really taking a toll on me. The other day, she came out to the garage and saw me with a drink in my hand. I lied and said it was my first one for the day.”
Exasperated and angry, he blurted: “I need to make my career something I look forward to and re-engage in my marriage… I’ve got to figure this out, or I’m screwed.”
Mike was not alone, and neither are YOU.
In fact, there are a lot of Mikes out there.
Since 2013, I’ve been helping men and women have better relationships, more moments of joy, and success through my therapy practice.
But that’s only the beginning.
When Mike encountered these kinds of situations, he chose the wrong tools. And that was a big part of his problem. Together, we went back to the “garage,” threw out (or poured out) the rusty or broken utensils, and developed a workshop anybody would be proud of stocked with the right tools.
And we can do the same for you.
What you can expect from your new tools.
In our first few sessions, we’ll dive into the issues and how you experience them. We’ll find out how you got here and how you want things to change.
We’ll harness your momentum, clearly articulate your goals, and craft a plan to reach those new outcomes.
From there, our interactions become more like coaching, which goes like this:
Try this – how did it go?
Tweak that – how did it go?
Sometimes, there’s homework, but it’s really just an alternative approach to old patterns.
New – and better – tools create better outcomes. It’s just a matter of time before you become skilled in using them.
The essentials in our toolbox –
Our goal is to equip you to handle anything – from the ground up. But every craftsman has several “go-to” items.
We’ll use a combination of Cognitive-Behavioral techniques, psychodynamics, Gestalt methods, mindfulness, and some other modalities from Positive Psychology.
While I don’t prescribe pharmaceuticals, I do partner with a nurse practitioner if you need a medication to salve emotional wounds while we work toward your long-term healing.
You can expect deep insight and relief within the first few sessions.
Your next move can change EVERYTHING.
I’m reaching out to you – eager for you to heed the call your life is sending to you:
“Take that next step! Make that jump!”
It might be scary. It might sound like woo-woo BS. But it’s the best way I know to help you. And – trust me – I’ve tried just about everything else.
You’re not broken, and you’re not alone.
Your future self is watching you through memories and waiting for you to step onto the platform I’ve built for you.
Reach out today. Let’s get you some new tools, create a plan, and build your platform to jump from – so you’ll land in the better future that awaits!
A Little About Me
I graduated from Regis University with an MA in Psychology. My final thesis focused on comparing men’s initiation practices across male cultures like fraternities, the Marines, and indigenous tribes. I’m trained in Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and have a background leading men’s groups and men’s leadership training with Mankind Project.
I’ve worked with returning veterans to help them reclaim their civilian life. I’ve been hoodwinked by convicted sociopaths, worked with men right out of jail, called out perpetrators, helped victims find their voice, and held others while they cried and bled on the floor from grief and sorrow. That’s the heavy stuff.
But these days, in my practice, you can expect easy rapport and inside jokes laden with thoughtful questions that lead to clarity, insights, and change. I mention all this because I want you to know I’m not just an academic with a clipboard who listens to you drone on – while I silently scratch my chin and adjust my glasses.
I’ve been there, and I’ve clawed my way out of the holes I dug for myself.
A Jackson Pollock canvas of experiences.
Personal palette
I’ve been married for over 20 years and have also been divorced. I’ve been part of the dating scene including the ego traps of dating apps and single’s nights. I have two kids and care for aging parents.
I grew up Methodist, married into a conservative Southern Baptist church family, and trained with Zen Buddhist monks. I’m deeply spiritual and have experienced religion at different times as both amazing and also toxic.
I’m fiscally conservative and socially moderate. I’ve had my run-ins with addiction loops and tested many of the common distractions available in our culture. These days, to stay on track I exercise and meditate daily and run trails in the Colorado foothills on weekends (I actually ran barefoot for a year to straighten my gait) and, sometimes, enjoy golf. I’m certified to captain a 40’ sailboat and have sailed into New York harbor.
I’ve played in a band with gigs up and down I-35 from Dallas, Texas, to Manhattan, Kansas. Today, I play piano bar tunes, drums, and guitar in my basement with friends.
Professional brushstrokes
Before starting my practice, I had a career in corporate IT. I’ve led startup teams, managed the buildout of data centers, managed project teams in India and Ireland, and started my own company selling an app I coded to help fraternities engage their alumni (until Facebook wiped me out). I’ve served as president of a Toastmasters Club and presented multiple times at the Project Management Institute and Denver Startup Week.
In my effort to bring personal growth to companies, I trained and became certified to provide DISC assessments, personal motivation tests, emotional intelligence, relationship compatibility assessments, and cultural audits for companies.
I’ve consulted municipal governments about resolving conflict on city councils and have also consulted corporate board directors and human resources professionals about creating a corporate culture that drives profit by engaging employees.
In 2013, I started the Highlands Ranch Anxiety, Depression, and Bipolar Support Group (on Meetup.com). Today, it has over 500 members.
I’m gifted at listening, navigating conflict, and seeing in you what you cannot see in yourself – including your gifts that the world needs right now.
My “Big Why”
Doing this kind of work and being invited into the personal lives of my clients is a privilege.
To honor that, I try hard to operate at a level beyond mere skill or training. I strive to live the way I counsel and have found that JOY is ultimately the most profound – and sustainable – way to live.
Therapy and coaching are not the only ways to achieve joy. We can get there through healthy religion. Good relationships are also a path. Even working at a company with a healthy culture can get you there.
BUT – in today’s world, how often do we see these good things in our institutions?
My mission
My personal mission is to create platforms that help others jump beyond themselves – so they can make the world a better place through their families, their work, and their communities.
My Jackson Pollock painting of experiences is the culmination of my life’s work to hone the building of these platforms. My services on this website are the platforms I’m offering you today so you can heed the call to take that next step and make that jump!