...your guide
As a clinical social worker, I find that title doesn't fully capture who I am as a person or a guide. I prefer to see myself as a companion on your journey, helping you explore the areas that truly matter while encouraging you to embrace life's beautiful possibilities. Over the past 15 years, I've had the privilege of working with incredible individuals, from those facing significant mental challenges to those navigating addiction. My mission is to help you uncover your authentic self and let go of the burdens of your growth, as trauma often leads us to underestimate our potential and struggle with stress.
My new focus is to bring my love of Nature into the practice. I have long practiced nature therapy, and now it's time to share it with you. I am a student of the Shinrin Yoku Association based in Poland and am studying for my certification. I expect to be fully certified by Spring of 2025. My offerings will include Nature-based therapy, Shinrin Yoku, outdoor meditations, sound healings, and celebrations. I will continue to offer online therapy to distant clients or those who prefer. All options are open to all abilities!
Connecting with Nature is a surefire way to connect with your most Authentic Self, the Self we were born to be. My quest is to partner with nature to create a healing opportunity for you that you can return to time and again, with or without me as your therapist.
Personally, I am a queer person who lives in Central Pennsylvania with my wife and adult child. We have two cats and two dogs who we spoil as much as our kiddo. We love to hike, bike and kayak. The dogs have traveled with us to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Northern New York, and Jiffy even visited the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia!
Queer-centric
All of the offerings of A Unified Mind celebrate and serve people who identify as LGBTQIA+. Why? 1) because I identify as FAB (female-at-birth), gender-neutral and am married to a beautiful woman who identifies as lesbian. and 2) because it's too easy for a cis-gendered heterosexual therapist to check the "LGBT" box on search engines when they simply don't have the lived perspective of being part of the community. One continuing education class does not create a provider who understands life as a queer person. Being a member of the LGBTQIA+ community means being part of a culture. Just as I cannot claim cultural competence for many groups I am not part of, cis-gendered heterosexual therapists cannot profess that for queer folk.
A word about my use of the term "queer": I use "queer" to refer to the whole rainbow of beings who identify in a way other than cis-gendered heterosexual. This word, and many others, have been used against us as a slur, and I am choosing to take it back and own it. Whatever meaning others want to give the word is okay with me. My meaning is that there is something brave, special, and amazing about each person who lives under this umbrella. Because of the "normative" culture, we have been othered. I stand firmly in saying, "Hell yeah, I'm different! We ARE different because we have the courage to stand up and say, 'THIS IS ME!'"
Being different can come with lots of feelings that can necessitate support. Support cannot come from a counselor who is in the closet or afraid of losing business. As your therapist, I stand with you. Know that all my services are here for you.
AUM?
The word "AUM" (or Ohm) is a sacred and powerful sound found in many spiritual traditions. Often considered the primordial sound of the universe, it symbolizes the origin of all creation. One day, while engaging in my morning writing practice, which is part of my meditation, the word AUM came to me. Immediately, the words A Unified Mind followed. It felt like the perfect name for the practice I’ve cultivated and wish to share with those I connect with.
For a long time, I’ve held the belief that we cannot heal our wounds without connecting with our most sacred self. In fact, I believe the loss of this connection is the core wound we carry. It is my prayer and practice to help others rediscover this connection. The path to healing can take many forms, but it is essential that we take it. It's the small, courageous, and persistent steps that will lead us there. AUM is here to guide us all.
Remember, spirituality is not religion. Spirituality is about connection to the sacred; religion involves teachings, books, and doctrines created by humans. In its best form, religion can serve as a guide to the sacred. At its worst, it can become a tool for control. Spirituality, on the other hand, is the farthest thing from control. While it does require discipline and practice, it’s meant to help you find true freedom.
Spirituality isn’t about adhering to specific behaviors or rules. It's okay to swear, dance, love, and embrace all of life’s experiences. The key is to not judge, and to recognize that everything can lead us toward the sacred and help us learn to love better. Sometimes, letting out a perfectly timed F-bomb might even bring you closer to the awesomeness of Nirvana! Who knows? Not me! I’m not here to tell you what works for you; I’m here to share what has worked for me and what I’ve seen work for others. If it works for you, great. If not, that’s okay too. Just find what leads you to your highest, most authentic True Self.
