Hi, my name is Derek, and I’m an LPC Associate whose specialties focus on self-awareness, relationships, processing emotions, and building life skills. I aim to increase your understanding of yourself while empowering you to align with behaviors that direct you to become the person you want to be.

I specialize in working with adults using theories like mindfulness, somatic experiencing, DBT, and family systems. My experience covers a wide range of topics that include: trauma, relationship and social issues, anxiety, depression, perfectionism, people-pleasing, identity development, autism spectrum disorder, masculinity and men’s issues, emotional numbness, eating disorders, systemic socioeconomic challenges, and LGBTQ+ identities.

Our work together will always be one of collaboration and a focus on your unique short-term and long-term needs. My therapeutic interventions broadly follow a three step process. First, I work to understand my clients more impactfully and assist them in exploring themselves, their struggles, their goals, and patterns in their life. From there, I assess and support you in figuring out what may be contributing to those thoughts, emotions, and experiences that serve as barriers in your life. Once we better understand your current life, your circumstances, and how you desire to grow, I may introduce skills, decision-making techniques, and behavior changes that will help get you there.  Therapy is a unique journey into you, and as such I continually check in, listen, and support you as you make more positive shifts in your life.

Many of my clients find that relationships of all kinds, whether family, romantic partners, friends, or their relationship with themselves benefit significantly from my approach to therapy. I work diligently to cultivate the therapeutic relationship into one that feels positive and supportive, and clients often find that as the therapeutic relationship deepens, this experience allows them to practice and hone their relational skills and ripples out into their other relationships. Whether it is learning to have healthy conflict, improving how you show up for yourself, or anything else, I would be honored to be with you on your journey.

I received my master’s degree in counselor education from the University of Texas, and I honed my clinical skills while providing services for the St. Edward’s University’s counseling center. Outside of the therapy office, you’ll find me watching movies with my friends, backpacking, watching animals of all types, making things with my hands, and building Lego.