Me

Born and raised on the East coast and formerly a Buddhist monk, I have been a practicing psychotherapist in Texas since 2006. I received my Bachelor’s degree in Asian Art History from Wesleyan University (Middletown, CT) in 1993. Master’s degree in Counseling from St. Edwards University (Austin, TX) in 2006, and PhD in Counselor Education and Supervision from St. Mary’s University (San Antonio, Texas) in 2020.

After graduating from Wesleyan I wandered extensively, continuing my study and practice of Buddhism, Taoism and Zen meditation. I resided at Ajahn Chah’s Wat Nanachat, Henepola Gunaratana’s Bhavana Society, and the San Francisco Zen Center. I traveled throughout Thailand, China, Tibet, Burma, and India, worked as a taxi driver, dishwasher, teahouse manager, acupuncturist, English teacher in South Korea, and Art Historian with the Smithsonian at an archaeological site in Hampi, India. All of these experiences (and many others) conspired to shape me into the counselor–and person–I am today.

The therapeutic approach I use in counseling is a blend of Buddhism, Taoism, Western Psychology, American Transcendentalism, Sufism, and purely original thought. I understand, without question, that therapy can be powerfully effective and enjoyable at the same time. I have yet to meet a client I didn’t like, a client I couldn’t help, or a client from whom I could not learn something new.

Most recently, inspired by the extraordinary results that neurofeedback produced in treating my son’s ADHD, I became certified as a Braincore provider in 2021 and opened Sunshine Neurofeedback with my wife Sunny in 2022. It is thrilling to witness the power of this non-invasive and drug-free technology to optimize brain performance in children and adults of all ages, treating such conditions as depression, anxiety, learning disorders, cognitive issues, and so much more.