My Values

Perhaps this page will be boring to some, but many people who are looking for therapy are interested in the therapist's philosophy and beliefs. This page is meant to satisfy that. 

Some of these values are controversial. Some of them are common. Either way, I hope it helps you determine if I'm the right therapist for you.

After all, I don't want to see people who don't want to see me! It makes my life hard and it also makes you less satisfied with your treatment. It's a win-win to figure this out ahead of time.

Please know that while I may not totally believe in all the same things as you, I had a colleague who pointed out to me that the best therapist is the one that pushes you out of your comfort zone. That usually means getting a therapist that doesn't quite see things the way you do.

Here are some things about me:

Unlike many therapists, I'm not LGBT-affirming. But that just means I try to remain neutral about it rather than pushing people toward LGBT by default. I think it's unethical to assume that that's what people want.

I believe LBGT tendencies are caused by hormone imbalances, unresolved trauma, and strong social influences. But I'll generally remain quiet about that in your therapy unless you seem to want to hear it.

I'm a Latter-day Saint (which does not clinically inform my views on LGBT issues). But again, I'm neutral about it unless you make it clear to me that it's something you want to discuss. My job as a therapist is NOT to manipulate people one way or the other, contrary to what people might think.

I'm politically moderate. I don't like political extremes because most of them are just emotionally driven. There is good to both sides (if we are suggesting that there are only two sides). Many therapists are far left in their political views, which I think is pretty lopsided and biased.

I am [mostly] anti-medication. It covers up symptoms, costs too much, and causes more problems in the long-run. But I'm also a therapist and I've had hopeless people sitting in front of me who simply wouldn't get better unless they had that chemical boost, mostly because they were unable to take care of themselves.

At the risk of being highly stigmatized here, I am a conspiracy theorist. As a therapist with a background in sociology and business, I can see very clearly how powerful people would want to collude and how they might get away with unethical things in the name of gaining more power. And I believe they do, at the expense of our health and well-being. I haven't done it, but even I have been tempted to do things that weren't entirely honest because I knew insurance would pay more for it (looking at you, hospitals!).

I am a student of homeopathy. At first, I was honestly reluctant to learn about it. But now that I'm getting into it, I'm realizing how it's been stifled by the obnoxiously loud and wildly successful business model that we call "Western medicine." Homeopathy quietly remains more popular worldwide compared to Western medicine, and for good reason! It is affordable, it works (if done correctly), and has no side-effects.

I believe in food and lifestyle first, then supplements and homeopathy, and medication and surgery as a last resort. Our bodies are from nature, so it stands to reason that we would thrive on natural foods and in a natural environment. To me, that's a no-brainer. I have a hard time seeing why anyone would think pharmaceutical medicine is superior when it's entirely man-made and causes side-effects. It's only superior in the sense of being a highly successful, capitalistic business model.

I don't think formal education in America is productive, at least beyond learning basic skills necessary to live in society. We spend a lot of time in school, and college degrees are the new normal, but many of us are still with too low of an income. And do you actually remember what you were taught in school? Probably just the general theme of it.

I believe cities are toxic. They are a recipe for depression and anxiety. We sit in offices (sedentary), stare at screens, don't get fresh air or sunshine, eat junk food, and work our brains to exhaustion. 

My ideal is that everyone would have at least half an acre of land and have animals and a garden. Being outside, doing manual labor, and eating fresh food would keep us healthier in many more ways than any healthcare can ever provide.

I love hygge. That means I love being cozy. I like soft, relaxing music, candlelight (beeswax candles, of course), and sipping on a healthy beverage. I also enjoy the serene.

I believe it's pretty messed up that we are brainwashed into thinking that we need full-time jobs to survive.

I think it's ridiculous that most therapists aren't taught anything about the biochemical side of mental health (I had to seek that training on my own). This is why so many therapists are pro-medication; they don't realize there are better options.

I believe most medical doctors are just prescribers. They don't seem to do anything else and they get paid unethical amounts of money for it.

I really don't like insurance. As a patient, it seems fine to pay them hundreds of dollars per month, until they don't cover a service. On the provider side, it's a really shady business and unethical in many ways.

I believe it's worth spending extra money on organic foods. The way I see it is I'd rather pay more money for my groceries now than to have to spend it on medical bills later. That's really what it comes down to.

To add to the above point, I don't believe most disease is simply attributed to age or genetics. It's caused by the compounding effects of poor lifestyle habits.

I believe mental illness is not simply a chemical imbalance. Yes, there is a chemical imbalance in the brain when someone is mentally ill, but it's not the cause; it's the effect.

I prefer to use natural fragrances and avoid harsh chemicals whenever possible to minimize the toxic load on my body. That includes soaps, laundry detergent, cleaners, and air fresheners.

I believe homicidal behavior is caused by improper prescription of SSRIs and poor diets. 99%+ of school shooting cases involved a shooter who was on an SSRI. For criminals, feeding them a whole-food diet while in prison significantly reduces recidivism.

I REALLY don't like fist bumps. My first exposure was in January 2007 and I've been confused with them ever since.

I think it's extremely rude to swear in public or around people you don't know. You never know who doesn't appreciate that. It's even worse when kids are around.

I believe the strong urge to swear is a sign of unresolved trauma. Trauma is more common these days (as a result of being unhealthy), and so is swearing.

I believe if you've read this far and I haven't terribly jarred you, you and I might be a good fit for each other!