Growing up in Alexandria, MN, having a family full of physicians seemed normal to me. After all, isn’t it normal to get stitched up at the family cabin on the picnic table? As a family practice physician, my dad was one of the first partners at the Alexandria Clinic, and then later in his career transitioned to full-time emergency room medicine. I grew up watching his work ethic, his professionalism, and his compassion for his patients. He truly changed the world through this meaningful work, and I will forever admire him for it. But I also saw the toll that the long hours, stress, and lack of sleep took on his personal health. As tough as he was, I also suspect that he experienced vicarious trauma, and that this was difficult to cope with. And I know he wasn’t alone in this experience.

There is already enough pressure on physicians to provide quality care, earn revenue, deal with record-keeping, and maintain their reputations. Throw in a pandemic, and it’s a perfect storm for stress, trauma, and burnout. And as a highly experienced EMDR therapist, I know that if not addressed, these issues don’t get better with time. More often than not, they manifest in the form of increased stress, irritability, and unhealthy coping strategies to numb the unwanted physical and emotional pain. The inevitable result is emotional, physical, and relationship problems that rob physicians of the abundant life they were intended for.

If you’re still reading this, you might feel stirring inside, knowing deep down that it might be time to get some support. You’ve likely put everyone else first, and although it might feel weak or selfish to reach out for support, this couldn’t be further from the truth. It takes guts to face the hard things and get the emotional and relational healing you deserve. And as a Certified EMDR therapist and Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I will not hook you into never-ending talk therapy.

If you see me for individual therapy, you’ll find that EMDR is like “emotional surgery,” systematically targeting trauma and insecurities at their source through a research-proven protocol. Backed by over 3 dozen controlled studies, EMDR has helped millions around the world find deep and lasting healing from their past, strength and peace in their present, and a renewed hope for the future.

And if you see me for Marriage Counseling, I will use the research-proven Gottman method, which is the gold standard for marriage counseling around the world.

Finally, with my background in ministry, I am always happy to explore issues around spirituality, meaning and purpose for those that desire it.

Most of my clients are men, but I’m able and willing to work with anyone motivated to change and willing to do the work.

When it comes to getting therapy, I understand that you have a lot of options. And I also understand that working with me would be a significant investment of money, time, and energy. I don’t take this likely. My commitment to you is that if you choose to work with me I will give you the attention and focus I would want for someone in my own family. And while I’m always learning and growing as a therapist, I can say with confidence that through my education, clinical practice, and experience training other therapists around the world, I have become one of the better EMDR therapists around the world and stand behind my work. Finally, because I am private pay only, your counseling will be truly discrete and confidential. No diagnosis, no insurance, and no interoperable EHR.

Deep down you probably already have a sense of what you need, whether you’re ready for a change, and whether or not I’m the person you want to work with. If you’re on the fence, I encourage you to think about it and let me know if you’d like to take the next step. And if it would help to have a brief phone call or in-person consultation to make that personal connection first and test the waters, I’d be happy to do that. My hope and prayer for you is that whether it’s with me or someone else, you would be able to: