About Me
I was born in Indiana, where my father (a university professor) and mother (a lactation consultant) raised my older sister and me. When I was 15, my parents adopted two boys. I helped care for my infant brothers, which broadened my understanding of how love and family can be created.
As an undergraduate, I fell in love with psychology and found therapeutic training useful in my own life. I pursued a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology at the University of Kentucky where I provided a spectrum of mental health care, from coaching high-performing college athletes to counseling youth and adults in psychiatric hospitals.
I moved to the Northeast to complete my doctoral degree in Clinical Psychology, where I received extensive training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapies for anxiety and depression. I also found a second love -- conducting research. I wrote and published my dissertation on the relationship between sleep quality and cognitive functioning. This research helped me appreciate the strong connections between mental, physical, and cognitive health.
I completed my postdoctoral training at Yale University in the Department of Psychiatry, where my research continued to focus on the interplay between sleep, wellness, and mental health. Since then, my research has shifted to focus more on suicide prevention.
I have worked extensively with people across the lifespan struggling with depression or anxiety. Since the COVID pandemic, I began working more with boys aged 7-21 impacted by the pandemic's disruption of school, home, and social life.
Today, my wife and I are raising two teenage boys in Westport, Connecticut. My experience raising them has enriched my work with boys, adolescents, and their parents who may be navigating similar challenges. Having been a stay-at-home parent in their early years, I can deeply relate to the day-to-day effort, joy, and stress of parenting. I spend most weekends with my family, coordinating outdoor activities, going with them to the gym, or watching movies as a family.