Hello!
I’m Wes, it’s great to meet you.
I'm a Chicago-based psychotherapist specializing in couples therapy and mens’ work.
I believe relationships can be a vehicle for personal growth, and one of the greatest sources of joy in life.
Check out my relationship videos on YouTube
What to Expect in Therapy
As your therapist, you can consider me your partner in growth. My goal is to help you break through the things holding you back from finding the joy and purpose we all deserve in life. As a clinician and former crisis counselor, I try to bring empathy, radical compassion, non-judgment, and a touch of humor to our sessions.
If you are a couple who has experienced infidelity, disconnection, or conflict, but you know your relationship matters to you and you want to repair, then I’m here for you. You will find a safe place to reconnect with your partner, learn communication skills, and shift the harmful patterns you fall into with each other.
Whether you suffer from depression, anxiety, past trauma, or relationship conflict, in therapy with me you will find a caring guide to help you to a better place. My therapy sessions are experiential, meaning we will learn and practice skills in session and connect with emotions in real time. All of my work is evidence based. Couples sessions are grounded in Gottman Method Couples Therapy and Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT), both of which have large evidence bases to support them. In my individual work I mix techniques like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with powerful mindfulness and body-based techniques like Internal Family Systems (IFS), Gestalt, and Coherence therapy.
I know that finding a therapist you actually like can be really hard. I just dropped a bunch of theory terms and you may have no idea what any of those theories mean. Just know that it’s my goal to make every session worth it to you and impactful in some way, and I care deeply about you making progress in therapy.
So much of this process is finding a good fit with the person you work with. I hope I’m that good fit for you. If you are interested in finding out if we can work well together, please start by reaching out below.
About Me
I went to graduate school to become a therapist after 10 years of working in the corporate world because I felt inspired to help others struggling in the same way I struggled.
I know firsthand how hard it can be to struggle with anxiety and depression, or to feel like you are living a smaller life than you want to. I’ve been there. In my relationships, I was terrified of commitment and did whatever I could to avoid conflict.
Like most people who end up as therapists, I found my way into helping others after working on my own issues first. I'm far from perfect, but I spent years in therapy getting better at handling tough emotions, facing conflict in relationships, and communicating with authenticity. Along the way I learned that I love helping others feel happier and create deeper relationships in their own lives. So that’s what I do now. I’m trained as a coach, a personal trainer, and a psychotherapist. I work with anyone, but I specialize in couples work where one or both members struggle with anxiety or conflict avoidance. As a man who has struggled in the past to find a good therapist who understands my world, I’m also passionate about helping men, and I work well with men dealing with issues like self-confidence, anxiety, depression, and trauma.
I currently work at a group practice called Mind Body Co-op in Chicago. If you live in the Chicago area and are interested in working with me, please check out my profile on Psychology Today or the Mind Body Co-op website.
Education & Training
My clinical education for couples work has focused on the Gottman Method, an evidence-based framework for treating couples. This method is supported by over 30 years of research and covers issues spanning everything from infidelity to communication and conflict. I also incorporate aspects of Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy and other research-based methods in my sessions.
My individual work integrates multiple evidence-based and experiential methods like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, and Internal Family Systems. I often integrate mindfulness techniques, visualizations and somatic work to create a holistic approach that is unique to each client.
Gottman Method Couples Therapy Level 3
Gottman Method Specialization: Treating Affairs and Trauma
Gottman Method Specialization: Couples and Addiction Recovery
Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) Externship
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Anxiety and Depression (Beck Institute)
Certificate in Coaching and Counseling: Interchange Counseling Institute
M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling, Adler University
National Academy of Sports Medicine Certified Personal Trainer