My approach to LGBTQ therapy and counseling.
In counseling, a therapeutic approach refers to how counselors and therapists work with their clients.
Understanding a therapist's therapeutic approach can be beneficial as you consider therapy, given that it influences your counseling experience.
The following are the guiding principles of my online practice, which provides counseling and therapy for gay men and couples. This includes an overview of our collaborative process.
Therapy for cisgender gay men and same-sex couples.
Leveraging my life experience, training, and professional expertise, I provide therapy for cisgender gay men and same-sex couples aged 18 and older.
My clients are geographically diverse. Many reside across Europe, including the Netherlands, France, Spain, and Germany, but I also have clients from New Zealand, Australia, China, the USA, Canada, and the UK.
I offer assistance with a broad range of LGBTQ-related challenges. These include but are not limited to general and social anxiety, difficulties related to sexual orientation, depression, internalized homophobia, loneliness, low self-esteem, relationship difficulties, substance abuse, addiction to sex and apps like Grindr, and trauma.
Medium- to long-term therapy.
As a therapist specializing in medium- to long-term therapy for gay men, I am here to foster a supportive environment, encouraging you to explore and deepen your understanding of yourself. Our focus will extend beyond only managing your immediate distress to promoting your personal growth and enhancing your overall emotional well-being.
Despite the extended commitment required for medium- to long-term therapy, the benefits are substantial and enduring. My clients experience improved mental health, increased resilience, and a strengthened capacity to tackle life's obstacles.
In our lives, we often have concerns about what the future holds. We attempt to prepare, foresee, and mitigate the effects of the unforeseen. The future, however, is an ever-changing landscape. It's home to our deepest fears and most ambitious dreams.
This is where the value of medium- to long-term therapy emerges. It does not simply offer a survival kit for acute life problems. Instead, it also serves as a compass, guiding you not just to endure but to thrive amid life's inevitable fluctuations.
Therapeutic approach and techniques focused on you.
In my therapy sessions, I use a personalized and integrative approach that combine various proven methods to best suit your needs.
My style includes elements of emotion-focused therapy (EFT), person-centered care, and psychodynamic understanding. I also incorporate solution-focused brief therapy, behavioral activation, and narrative techniques.
Whether we’re exploring existential questions, working on cognitive-behavioral strategies, or processing trauma through EMDR, my goal is to create a supportive environment where you can grow and heal.
Emotionally-focused philosophy.
Traditional therapy often focuses on eliminating "symptoms," viewing them as "pathological."
I do not subscribe to this approach.
Instead of relying on possibly ambiguous and unreliable psychiatric labels assigned in diagnostic manuals by others (some long deceased, some still living), I believe in an approach that prioritizes understanding you as an individual.
Suppressing feelings like loneliness, anxiety, depression, sadness, guilt, and shame often exacerbates distress. That's why simply reducing symptoms is not an effective goal.
I strive to help you reframe challenging emotions from being "problems" to becoming manageable experiences, thereby reducing their impact and influence on your life. We achieve this by understanding the reasons behind your feelings and identifying their root causes.
A transparent and collaborative approach to LGBTQ therapy.
Therapy is a collaborative journey where the therapist and the client are equal partners. Our sessions will feel safe and accepting so you can freely express your experiences and emotions without fear of judgment.
While navigating this journey, your unique needs and goals shape our course. My role is not to force instant change but to guide you toward self-discovery, even if that involves challenging unhealthy beliefs and values.
Honesty and transparency will underpin our therapeutic relationship. Despite my knowledge and expertise, you will experience me as a relatable soundboard instead of an authoritative figure. I'll always be forthright about my approach and how we tackle complex issues together.
Embark on your journey towards a more fulfilling life today.
Take the first step today.
Schedule your first session with me and discover how, together, you can live a more fulfilling living.