My thoughts on walking…

Nietzsche, like many other great philosophers of the human spirit, recognized the value of walking.

Nietzsche was a very sick man throughout his life: He was riddled with migraines, depression, and eventually dementia induced by a stroke. But nothing stopped the man from pursuing his passions. It was in his personal struggle that he realized “that which does not kill us, makes us stronger.” (Sorry Kelly Clarkson, Nietzsche has first rights.)

Of course, I never had the privilege to walk with Nietzsche, but I am privileged to walk with many others who have similar struggles.

What will we do on our ‘walk’ together?

I often hear my clients say their previous therapists were “dry and condescending,” or they “didn’t get it” and “kept telling me what to do.”

You won’t get that with me. I really try to reshape the assumption of therapy in my sessions. While my professional ethics of transparency, sincerity, and dedication to wellness are the pillars to my practice, my personal values of humor, warmth, and humility are greatly incorporated.

After the first few sessions, many of my clients leave feeling lighter, connected, and heard. They also say that some sessions have left them feeling stirred, bothered, and uncomfortable. Therapy isn’t always rainbows and sunshine; often it is thunderous and torrential.

In general, therapy is a process; it is a journey of self-discovery. We often don’t do things for no reason, and we owe it to ourselves to know why.

Sometimes what we find hurts, it’s disappointing, it’s exciting, it’s relieving… it’s a lot.

Like some journeys, they’re exhausting, messy, and sometimes disorganized. But it is an experience that you will always treasure.

And even in the most frightening of explorations… you become. You find your essence; you find your inner truth. Walls are broken down, facades begin to fade, authenticity awakens, and potentiality becomes promising.

About Me

When I was 10, I wanted to be a priest. Every morning before school started, I would attend Mass as an Altar Server. My parish priest wasn’t the most charismatic cleric, but he had an occasional finesse.

I wasn’t a very strong believer in everything Fr. Stanley evangelized, but one day he said something that stuck out as I snuck a sip of church wine: “Every form of service is sacred.”

Though I never became a Man of the Cloth, I stand by this tenet as a social worker. When I went to Boston College, the Jesuit tradition of “setting the world on fire” was well stoked. Surely, they weren’t promoting arson, but they were inspiring the mission of love.

As fire burns and destroys, it purifies and refines. And just like fire, love can spread through service. Everyday actions we take toward one another, whether passive or direct, are significant. And when they are based in compassion and empathy, that inner fire enlightens us.

Every time I sit, walk, or talk with a client, I try to foster this very sense of security and warmth in the relationship we form. I always strive to honor and maintain these principles. Because through genuine loving relationships, healing begins.

And if you were curious…

On the days I’m not working, you may be able to find me drafting a new character for Dungeons & Dragons, tending to my garden, exploring foreign countries, buying a new tie, or officiating weddings (I’m also a Justice of the Peace… that’s as priestly as I got).

But there is a higher chance you will find me philosophizing over a glass of Bordeaux with loved ones, making poor attempts at puns, and playing with my cat Amelia.

…There’s an even higher probability these activities are happening all at once!