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Areas of Expertise

Adult treatment specialties 

  • Anxiety / Stress / Depression

  • Alcohol / Drug Abuse

  • Internet Pornography / Sex Addiction 

  • "Failure to Launch" / Transitioning from Teenager to Adult

  • Emotional Restriction / Bottling up Feelings

  • Family and Romantic Relationships

  • Work and Career Issues

  • Anger Management

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Adolescent treatment specialties 

I counsel adolescents (age 13 and up) on a range of issues, and I enjoy the challenge of working with teenage boys who are resistant to the idea of therapy. I generally treat my teenage clients like young adults, so a certain level of maturity is necessary for the counseling process to be effective. 

When it comes to emotional struggles, it's often said that "girls discuss while boys distract," meaning that boys are more likely to avoid dealing with difficult topics. I've had good success in getting my teenage clients to push through this discomfort and address the issues that are troubling them. Frequent topics include:

  • Defiance / Disrespect / Family Conflict 

  • Academic Struggles 

  • Alcohol and Drug Use

  • Student-Athlete Stress / High School Sports Pressure

  • Legal Issues

  • Father-Son Relationships

  • Lying / Dishonesty

  • Inappropriate Sexual Behavior

  • Low Self-Esteem

  • Irresponsibility / Poor Decision-making  

  • Self-Sabotage / Unfulfilled Potential

I have worked with college students as a therapist at the Counseling Center for the College of Charleston, and I've also been a guest speaker for the Adolescent Substance Use Skills Education and Training (ASSET) program at MUSC. I have represented  teenagers in court cases as a Guardian ad Litem for Charleston County. I've also mentored students at Meeting Street Academy and Academic Magnet High School. 
Because privacy and trust are critical to success in therapy, I ask parents to waive their right to view specific details of their child's treatment record. I will provide parents with general information about their child's progress in treatment as well as attendance at scheduled sessions.

Couples Therapy

My primary goal in couples counseling is to improve the quantity and quality of communication between the partners. I realize that guys are often resistant to the idea of couples counseling, so I'm used to that challenge. I generally meet with couples for 4-8 sessions with a focus on teaching new communication skills and strategy. It's then the couple's responsibility to put these new tools to work in their relationship. While we will discuss specific disagreements, I want to avoid becoming a "referee" in the relationship. 

Frequent areas of focus are:

  • Communication difficulties

  • Lack of emotional intimacy

  • Sexual incompatibility 

  • Substance abuse

  • Excessive criticism

  • Infidelity (emotional and sexual)

  • Parenting conflicts

  • Finances

Business Partnership Therapy

I also work with business partners whose disagreements are threatening the health and stability of their company. Many of the techniques are similar to couples counseling with a strong emphasis on improving communication skills. The article below offers a helpful introduction to the concept of business partnership counseling.

Adolescents
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