About Will

Therapy can be about reflection, growth, self-discovery, problem solving, or any combination of these and more.  At its core, I believe therapy is about honesty.  It is about being honest with yourself so you can live more honestly with others, though this can be challenging.  What I do is support, guide, and challenge you to achieve this honesty.  I have enjoyed working with many different kinds of people struggling with varying issues.  I approach therapy with integrity, warmth, humor and a strong interest in my clients’ wellbeing.

I seek to have an honest, genuine relationship with each of my clients.  We then draw on that relationship to forge a tailored therapeutic strategy to support positive change in your life.  Throughout the process, we will connect to ensure that our work together is valuable to you and aligned with your goals.  I draw on many different counseling techniques including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Relational-Cultural Therapy, and Mindfulness-based therapies.

Areas of Interest:

Life Transitions, Relationship Issues, Identity Development, Anxiety, Depression, Mindfulness, LGBTQ Issues, Men’s Issues and Masculinity, Perfectionism, Existential Despair 

Background:

My path to becoming a therapist has been somewhat non-traditional. Before pursuing counseling, I spent years working in restaurants, film production, and as a touring musician.  During this time, I sought support from a therapist for myself and I learned how powerful and transformative counseling is.  I have found that my experiences before becoming a counselor support and inform my counseling approach.  I seek to enter each counseling session with a sense of creativity and open mindedness, all while grounding the work with years of training and study.  I am always seeking new knowledge about counseling to broaden my abilities as a clinician.

Work History:

Since beginning my career, I have been working in private practice and agency settings with a varied group of clients.  Working in private practice, I have appreciated the opportunity to work with clients around many different issues, all the while tailoring my clinical approach to each individual and their needs.

I was awarded my Master’s of Education from North Carolina State University in Clinical Mental Health Counseling.  I was fortunate to begin practicing during this time at the NC State University Counseling Center.  This opportunity allowed me to work with clients who were often entering into therapy for the first time, which gave me the privilege of making a therapeutic first impression with these clients by normalizing and humanizing being in therapy.  I was also able to train with and work alongside a diverse and talented clinical staff that gave me a broad understanding of varying methods of practice.

Before attending graduate school, I worked at the Arc of North Carolina.  There I worked with people with developmental and intellectual disabilities, supporting them to access resources and build relationships within their communities.

I have led a men’s group consisting of men convicted of domestic violence offenses.  The focus of this group was accepting responsibility, identifying needed change and implementing these personal changes.  My job was not to judge my clients, but to help them self-reflect and become who they wanted to be.

Education:

North Carolina State University, Master of Education in Clinical Mental Health Counseling

University of North Carolina Wilmington, BA Music

Certification:

Nationally Certified Counselor

Mental Health Services at Strive On Counseling

Whether you are learning how to manage anxiety or are coping with substance abuse, we would love to see you in our Asheville, NC counseling office. Learn more about what forms of therapy I use, including EMDR for trauma, cognitive behavioral therapy, mindfulness, as well as acceptance and commitment therapy. If you are looking for an Asheville based counselor, I would love to talk more. Contact me to set up a free consultation.