As a kid, I was the guy my friends came to when they needed to talk.  I never thought it would become work at the time.

Later, when I found my faith, I started helping out at youth groups and doing music ministry in audio tech and singing.  I thought that was where my career was heading, but as “some are called, and some are chosen,” there was another plan for me. I don’t feel like I was called, if you know what I mean.  When life threw a couple of curveballs, I was chosen by one of the elders at the Spanish church I was attending.  “Serias un muy buen consejero de adicciones para jóvenes.  ?Te gustaría hacer eso?” (“You’d be a good youth drug counselor. Would you like to do that?”)

So–long story made short–I pivoted from a corporate sales path into substance use counseling.  Working in both English and Spanish. I was selected to be in a government fellowship program to get certified in substance use prevention with Washington State and SAMHSA’s prevention branch, CSAP. I ran school programs for youth under management with a multicultural non-profit until I completed my Master’s in Counseling Psych at Northwest U., Kirkland, WA.

Completing a Master’s created a challenge with continuing that work, though: I needed to find a plan to pay the student loans, and my current non-profit work couldn’t support that. So, I became an inpatient counselor for adults with co-occurring psychotic and substance use diagnoses on the East Side of Washington State.  That was hard work, being the main therapist who held the licenses that kept the program running.  I survived 18 months of that work and came to Portland OR to explore private practice–and getting to know a beautiful woman, who is now my wife.

I’ve been in private practice since 2017 with my independent practice since 2019, and I love the freedom.  I serve youth and adults and have a growing interest in neurodivergence (ASD and ADHD).  I’m also fully trained in EMDR by the EMDR Institute, although I have yet to get “certified.”  Although in a faith based organization I can say I am unshakable in my belief and trust in God through Jesus Christ, over the years I’ve helped people of many different faiths, diversities, sexual identities, lifestyles, etc.   I’m comfortable with my faith and sitting in that middle space with others who have different walks or don’t feel they fit in the mainstream.

Other than counseling I enjoy hiking, being in the water, the outdoors, novelty, adventure, learning new things, people–when my work hasn’t “people’d me out,”– and games (digital, table, roleplaying, cards, you name it).

If we get a chance to work together, I’ll bring a person-centered, goal-focused approach to therapy, and I hope we make a good match to get some meaningful work done for you.

How do I help people with their goals?

My initial training in drug counseling taught me to follow a program, use CBT, hold people accountable, and follow orders. Running programs, I began to see the big picture. Reviewing the past–briefly–and charting your course together can be very useful to see how the “now” fits into the bigger picture.

Leading clinical work in an inpatient setting taught me to track multiple complex diagnoses and symptomology simultaneously and to keep my cool while sometimes having to do triage. I don’t do crisis or triage in outpatient settings anymore, but after that, you can sit (appear to be) calm through just about anything that can be thrown at you.

CBT has its hangups, though (even though insurance loves that it is easily tracked and measured). A ToDo list and a calendar can’t foretell when you are going to have grief bursts after losing a loved one, or predict exactly when you will be triggered from that previous trauma that you didn’t ask for and weren’t prepared for. Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) works wonders with reprogramming your mind of trauma, but I have yet to see it stop triggers. Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing (EMDR) I have seen stop triggers altogether, but some people want a counselor to be more involved in the “talking it out”, so I’ve had many talk therapy (Rogerian/Adlerian) clients over the years, too. Another thing I’ve explored since the pandemic is doing bookwork with people, too. (It’s more interesting than you might think).

If you can’t tell, my private practice approach is eclectic: I have multiple credentials that have taught me Substance Use Treatment, Substance Use Prevention and Public Health (a superseded license now), Mental Health Treatment, Trauma Treatment, and I’m growing in my knowledge of Neurodiversity right now. I will work with you to identify which approach YOU believe works best for you. I often have my opinions for each case, but you get the final say. That’s how counseling should be: empowering, uplifting, fun, and hard. I can sit comfortably while you explore tears (no, I’m not enjoying it either), and I can also laugh and play, or challenge and be “coach Adam.” We will figure that out together while honoring the obligations of my scope of practice.

Sometimes when we dredge into our work things get a little worse before they get better, but if you stick with the process it usually leads to improvement. It’s very important that when you give me your trust to open up and take that risk, that you feel safe, heard, understood, and respected.