I grew up in a small town in Ontario, Canada. My wife and I moved to DC shortly after college, drawn by career opportunities in public service. I had a rewarding career as a high school English teacher at public and charter schools in Montgomery County and Washington, DC. I enjoyed working with diverse student populations, discussing great literature, and teaching research and writing.

After the birth of our two children, I decided to shift from education to social work and earned my MSW from Catholic University. I appreciate social work’s emphasis on how historical and societal factors affect individual well-being. I spent five years as a therapist at the University of Maryland, working with students from all over the world as they explored their emotions, identities, sexuality, values, relationships, and life goals.

I opened Rise Therapy to make highly-effective, longer-term therapy services accessible for adolescents and young adults.

I enjoy spending time with family and friends and finding time for my hobbies: biking, reading fiction, learning the guitar, golfing, grilling, and cheering on my kids’ sports teams.