Here are some of the issues I specialize in:

-Individual Counseling
-Couples Counseling
-Divorce & Discernment Counseling (for Couples on the Brink of Divorce)
-Treatment of Infidelity
-Treatment of Trauma (e.g. PTSS, PTSD)
-Suicide Prevention

-Men’s Issues
-Anger Problems
-Crisis Intervention
-Parenting Strategies
-Executive Coaching

Individual Counseling

​Whether you are struggling with an important life decision; going through a transition; needing an outside, objective opinion; coping with loss or trauma; or dealing with an individual challenge such as depression, anxiety, or addiction, I can help point you in a new direction. Think of me as your GPS. You set the goal, and I will help you get there. I will usually meet with you for about an hour at a time to both unpack the issues and to come up with ideas of how to proceed. I like to give you things to do between sessions to further the experience beyond the office….think of it like physical-therapy exercises you do at home. (It is important to keep “stretching” even when you are not in the “gym”.) I am flexible about scheduling, and most people experience some improvement within a few meetings.  You get to decide when you want to come back for some more guidance.

Typical issues I address in individual meetings:

• Anger (When is my anger too much?)
• Traumatic Experiences (How do I get back to normal after experiencing a trauma…crime, disaster, assault, terrorism?)
• Men’s Issues (What makes a “good man”? When is masculinity “toxic”?)
• Parenting 101 (How do I raise responsible boys?...and girls?)
• Questions about divorce (When is it time to call it quits? Or should I try to fix it?)
• Depression (What if I feel pretty down and I can’t seem to get back up?)
• Anxiety (How can I stop worrying all the time?)
• Stress (How can I better cope with all the pressures I am experiencing?)
• PTSD (Can you ever recover from PTSD?)

​• Loss (How can I establish a new normal?)
• Addiction (How do I know if I have an addiction?)
• Compulsive Behaviors (Is there any way to end a long-term, bad habit?)
• Health Issues (Can I cope more effectively with my medical problems?)
• Workplace problems (Can I get along better with my boss/co-workers?)  
• Suicidal thoughts (Is there a light at the end of the tunnel?)
• Serious mental illness (personality disorders, bipolar illness, schizophrenia)
(Can I improve my thinking?)
• Insomnia (How can I get a good night’s sleep?)
• Reconnecting with loved ones (Should I reach out to my difficult parent?)
• Self-development (Should I be doing more with my life?)

Couples Counseling

I am proud to be happily married to my wife of more than 45 years. This is no small feat in today’s world where divorce seems to be the most common way of dealing with the inevitable challenges of living with a partner. I have come to believe that being married, not parenting, is the hardest job in the world. After all, almost everyone loves their children, even when they are misbehaving. But “misbehavior” in a marriage frequently ends in divorce. I utilize a variety of approaches in my work with couples, but I always use practical, research-proven ideas to rebuild marital friendship, reduce conflict, and improve problem-solving. We’ll spend less time on how your mother “dressed you”, and more time on how you need to “address” each other.  Couples counseling is most successful when both parties consider their own roles in creating and overcoming relationship problems.

Typical issues addressed in couples counseling:

• Communication (Is it a listening problem or maybe you just don’t like what you’re hearing?)
• Parenting (What is the best way to discipline?)
• Differences (Maybe we have too little in common?)

​• Sex (Have we lost the spark?)
• Infidelity (Can we rebuild trust?)
• Money (How can we address the business side of the relationship?)
• In-laws (What do you do if you have difficult family members?)

Discernment Counseling for Couples Who Are on The Brink of Divorce

In some cases, couples wrestle with the question of whether or not it’s possible to salvage the marriage. Perhaps one person is desperate to fix things, and the other has one foot out the door. Things aren’t good in the marriage, but the prospects of life after divorce may not seem all that great either.  Discernment counseling is a short-term (usually 6 or so meetings), structured approach to help couples make this important, but difficult decision.  Should we divorce or commit to an intensive effort to improve the relationship?  When couples choose to work intensively on the relationship, they table the conversation about divorce for six months before re-examining their decision.  Through the process of Discernment Counseling, I will help you become committed to making the choice that is best for the two of you. 

Typical reasons people choose discernment counseling:

• We have been threatening divorce, but don’t know if we really want to do it. 
• We are unsure if we can bring love back into our marriage.
• There’s been infidelity in our marriage, and I don’t know if I can forgive my partner.​

• We may need to divorce but are worried about how it would affect the kids.
• We have been distant for a long time, but can anything be done now?
• I’m not sure our problems are fixable or if I want to try and fix things.

Divorce and Post-Divorce Counseling

I am generally a fan of marriage, but every marriage is a possible exception.  Sometimes, divorce is clearly the right decision, especially in marriages where violence has occurred.  In other cases, even if there has not been violence, the atmosphere is so negative and toxic that all good will has gone, and it is very unlikely that the couple can reconstitute a loving and respectful relationship.  Of course, the decision to divorce is made more complicated by the presence of children or by deeply held religious, family, or cultural beliefs that forbid divorce.  I will not make the decisions for you, but I may be able to help clarify the pros and cons of the decisions. I have worked with hundreds and hundreds of couples who have struggled with similar concerns. I have even written a book on the subject. So, I am well equipped to help you think through this process.

Typical issues addressed in divorce/post-divorce counseling:

• Making a decision (Is divorce the best option? See the above section on Discernment Counseling)
• Dealing with the kids (How should we tell the children?)

​• Parenting after divorce (How can we try to co-parent?)
• Getting over the pain (How do I know I am ready for a new relationship?)

Men’s Issues​

My background makes me uniquely experienced as a psychologist to work with men, especially men who have struggled to open up emotionally. Men sometimes deal with their emotions differently than women.  They are more apt to express emotions through actions rather than words, but sometimes those actions are inefficient or even misguided (e.g. excessive anger).  While every man is unique, I find that my service in the military, my work with the VA, and my role as Staff Psychologist for the Houston Fire Department has given me great insight into the kind of men that are often left out by the psychological community.  This has led me to a professional focus on consulting with men.  I will not expect you to unburden dark secrets or question your ability to feel emotions. I will offer practical guidance in navigating the challenges that most men face in their lives.

Typical issues addressed in consulting with men:

​• Work vs. Family (How do I create the right balance?)
• Relationship dissatisfaction (Why don’t I feel happy in my relationship?)
• Feeling alone (Is there someone out there for me?)

• Aging (Is my life really winding down?)
• Emotional control (My family says I am too angry/depressed/anxious. Are they right?)

Anger Problems

Growing up, I often witnessed the rages of my father. As a psychologist, I know that many people experience huge problems with the inappropriate expression of anger. I use a variety of methods to address anger problems depending on the individual situation. Sometimes, I recommend individual consultation while at other times I suggest meeting with others as part of learning how to successfully cope with anger.  I give clients practical advice on how to manage anger, reduce stress, avoid difficult situations, and problem-solve likely challenges. I am one of the few mental health professionals in Houston who commonly works with anger problems.

Typical anger issues which I treat:

​• Complaints from family members about my anger (Am I too irritable?)
• Family violence (What constitutes family violence?)
• Court-mandated anger management (Can I complete anger counseling with you?)

​• Discomfort with my own anger (What can I do about my excessive anger?)
• Conflicts with family members (Is there a way to avoid all the fighting?)
• Professional Complaints (My employer has mandated I get help)

Crisis Intervention

As the Clinical Director of the Houston Fire Department’s Critical Incident Stress Management Team, I dealt with many different crisis situations. My role was often to  assist first responders who had been at the scene of a tragedy. Sometimes, I myself was at those scenes and experienced the immediate aftermath of the crisis. I have provided care after school shootings, major fires, deaths of first responders, terrorist events, criminal incidents, natural disasters, and bizarre accidents. These events themselves were terrible, but I am pleased that I was able to offer some measure of comfort to those that experienced them. I am also highly experienced in helping potentially suicidal persons. I directed the Houston Fire Department’s suicide prevention team, participated in efforts to prevent veteran suicides, produced videos on suicide prevention, trained thousands of people on recognizing suicide risks, and have provided direct services to hundreds of persons who were suicide risks as well as to their family members.  

Typical problems addressed in crisis intervention:

• Pre-planning (Are we prepared for a crisis event?)
• Immediate aftermath of a tragedy (What is needed by victims right now?)
• Short term follow-up care (How can we get people back to their routine?)

• Long term follow-up  (What is the long-term effect of these events?)
• Suicide Prevention (How do I know if someone is suicidal? What can be done?)

I consult with cities and counties about how to create more substantial mental health services for First Responders and improve their crisis management outcomes. For rates and scheduling please contact me here. 

​Parenting Strategies

When I began to work with children as part of my training as a psychologist, I soon realized that it was not enough to help a child unless I also helped the parents. No matter how persuasive I am, I will never be as important an influence on your kids as you are. In working with kids, I see my primary role as your consultant to make your parenting more effective.  Although in some cases I see children individually, I usually prefer a family format, and I always will want to coordinate my work with you. Some kids present special challenges because of learning problems, medical conditions, attention-deficit disorder, or other issues, and I have extensive experience in working with almost any kind of problem that children and families may face. In addition, I have taught graduate courses in treating family problems for over twenty years.  The best training in raising kids I received, though, was through parenting my two daughters, now both working professionals.

Typical parenting issues which I treat:

​• Difficult behavior problems (How do I get me kids to obey?) 
• Special needs (How do I ensure my child gets the right care?)

​• Children of divorced couples (How can we better co-parent?)
• Emotional issues of children (How can I help my depressed/anxious kid?)