Services
About My Clients
I tend towards open & direct exploration with you rather than a meandering or passive approach. If I don’t know something, I’m not going to pretend otherwise. And if there isn’t broad scientific consensus about a technique, I’m not going to recommend it. I will both cry & crack jokes in session. I don’t require homework but I do encourage you to be trying new things between sessions. I will (gently) give you shit if you don’t. My online calendar for free screenings is at blueprintpsych dot com.
My Background and Approach
My primary therapy style is a form of Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) called Acceptance and Committment Therapy (ACT). ACT is all about defining the most meaningful aspects of your life and then learning to mindfully navigate emotional/psychological pain that comes along with being a human. I also tend to see things through a lens that takes account of past trauma & the socio-cultural environment around you (Feminist-multicultural therapy). Said more simply: While you may feel like you don't fully know what you want for your life, you are the ultimate expert in that topic. My goal is to help you figure out what it is that you want, how to get there, and how to navigate the things that get in the way--from anxiety/depression, to family pressure, to cultural or religious factors. I was raised in a cult and was able to eventually leave it, despite the significant familial and cultural losses. I have since spent much of my professional life helping others do the same.
My Personal Beliefs and Interests
Having been raised LDS and embedded in it culturally for decades (including being clinical faculty at BYU!) gives me both perspective and bias. I try to be transparent about the bias, and humble about the perspective. My experience in Mormonism as a cis-het white guy is not going to be the same as yours, even if you are also a cis-het white guy. Similarly, my experience leaving Mormonism will likely differ from yours as well. While high-demand religion impacts most humans in similar ways, your experience will be different in important and meaningful aspects–especially if some of your identities are marginalized or disempowered. I love woodworking, baking, and single-malt Scotch. I know fuck-all about sports.