Hello, and welcome to my practice website! I'm excited for you to learn more about me and what I can offer you and your family. 

 

Who I am

​

I'm a husband and father of one little boy as well as a dog. We enjoy spending time at home as a family as well as exploring the beautiful outdoors of Colorado. We thrive the most when we are hiking, kayaking and paddleboarding. We are also a sports-oriented household and enjoy watching the Broncos, Avs, Nuggets and Rockies! I would also describe myself as a foodie and enjoy trying all the different cuisines the Denver area has to offer. 

​

My Professional and Educational Background

​

Professionally, I am a dually licensed mental health provider with a Licensed Psychologist credential from the Department of Regulatory Agencies (DORA) of Colorado as well as a Licensed School Psychologist credential from the Colorado Department of Education (CDE). I have been working in the Colorado public school setting as a school psychologist since 2013, including working in the Douglas County School District and currently in the Cherry Creek School District. I obtained my initial Licensed Psychologist credential in November 2023 as well. My educational background includes a Bachelor's in Psychology from St. Mary's College of Maryland as well as an Educational Specialist degree and Doctorate of Philosophy in Child, Family & School Psychology from the University of Denver. I have also completed a supervised 1-year school-based internship, a pre-doctoral internship, and a post-doctoral internship. 

​

My Therapeutic Approach

​

My areas of interest include primarily working with children, adolescents and their families. I say families because it is essential when working with young people to teach skills and strategies to the child or adolescent while also coaching the adults in their lives how to elicit those skills and strategies when needed in a non-judgmental and safe way. A cornerstone to my philosophy when working with young people is that "kids do well when they can." This quote from Dr. Ross Greene illustrates that there are no "bad kids" and a child should never be thought of as "that kid" at school, at a birthday party, or anywhere else in their life. When a child or adolescent is struggling in any area of their life, it is likely not a conscious choice they have made; it is more likely a lagging skill they need support to build and develop through intentional instruction, practice, and feedback in the context of a safe and trusted relationship with adults who care about them. 

​

Therapeutic Modalities and "Why" 

​

My therapeutic approach includes a combination of play-based approaches with mindfulness and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) techniques. What this looks like includes using toys like LEGOs, art materials, and games to put young people into a non-threatening situation where they can develop a relationship with me while doing something they enjoy and feel competent to do. Then, as we play and develop rapport, young people are more at ease and interested in practicing things like intentional breathing, muscle relaxation, talking about harder topics like emotions, maladaptive behaviors they may be engaging in, or just talking about challenges or adversities they are facing. 

​

I have fully embraced this approach for multiple reasons including understanding that kids learn best through play but also based on some of my own personal experiences growing up. While I did not receive special education services or get in trouble a lot for "bad behavior," I found myself struggling to make good grades, I didn't have many friends and the ways I responded to kids who would tease or make fun was not good. I found myself making problems worse by having big reactions that encouraged people to keep treating me this way. It wasn't until I found a few great teachers in my high school who cared about me and showed me what I was good at academically. From there, they encouraged me to find community and belonging amongst others who had similar strengths to me and to even challenge myself beyond my comfort zone. When I met those people and learned how to intentionally seek them out in a constructive way, it changed my high school experience and paved the way for what I did in college and beyond to find my people and my community. This is what I try to help kids with, help them grow through understanding what they are already good at while also building new competencies that will enhance their life experiences. 

​

Areas of Specialty and Skills I Work On

 

I enjoy working with individuals seeking support to address​:

• ADHD

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Learning Disabilities

• Kids who are struggling in some area of life without necessarily having a formal diagnosis.

 

Skills I enjoy working on include: 

• Executive functioning skills to improve attention, focus, organization, and general on-task behavior.

• Coping strategies for stress, anxiety and depression.

• Making and maintaining friendships.

• Strategies for parenting children with challenging behaviors, emotional needs, or when your family is going through a significant change such as a divorce, death of a family member, moving, etc. 

• Helping families with children who are receiving Special Education (SPED) services or who may be in need of such services.