Different Settings Change How You See The Work
I’ve worked in a wide-range of clinical settings:
Inpatient units
Large-scale outpatient clinics
Community-based centers
Group homes
Jails
Private practice clinics
Each setting offers a different lens, but I’ve learned:
High-volume work focused on numbers, what “the other guys” do, misses the mark.
Intentional, long-term work highlights patterns, which leads to true mental wellness.
My approach is shaped by more than textbooks - it’s based in both training and real-world experience.
I’ve worked in this field over 15 years, focusing on both clinical rigor and importance of context - how symptoms develop, change, and present differently across people and environments. I balance evidence-based assessment and treatment with human connection.
I’ve seen what works, what doesn’t, and what is left out of the conversation - and that’s where I start.
I’ve been around the clinical block a few times, and I know why people avoid psychiatric care.
They’re not looking for a cookie-cutter work-up.
People usually want something different.
A Little Different
With Good Reason
What That Led To
Over time, I found it is less about labels and more about patterns - the evolution of the individual.
Some of what I’ve learned has come from training.
The rest of it comes from seeing when the clinical training doesn’t capture everything.
I try to remind myself to focus on where the books and articles end and the person really begins.
Where I Am Today
I was fed up with common-place practices. And when something isn’t working, I seek solutions.
Now, I run Spectrum Mental Wellness, an outpatient clinic focused on meaningful psychiatric practice and honest connection to my clients.
Does it take extra time? Yes.
Could I make more money practicing conventionally? Probably.
Would I feel confident about the care I provided if I tried it the routine way? Absolutely not.
I’ve stuck to my guns. I’ve been stubborn about my convictions. The result?
I can honestly say I’ve made a meaningful difference in the lives of people with whom I have worked.
Does This Interest You?
This Time, You Write Your Story
We’ve Got This
But Wait! There’s More
My practice is informed by both research and experience. Below is a bit of what has helped shape me.
Music
Music has been central to my life.
When something is stuck, music can often set it free.
I created the playlist “Arc,” which is a mix of songs, some you might know, others you don’t, which moves through the process of reflection.
When listening, pay attention to your emotions and how you move through each stage, from arrival, through descent, then lifting through awareness and acceptance, and finally, integration.
For consideration:
Some songs touch on themes of anxiety, depression, and self-reflection.
Language may be unsuitable for all listeners
Play on Spotify
Play on Apple Music
Books
In this line of work, everyone has a book.
That doesn’t mean they’re all worth a read.
Below is a list of books that have been both clinically valuable and personally meaningful to me. I hope you find find one that sheds some light into the dark corners you have.
What has shaped how I think
When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chödrön
The Denial of Death by Ernest Becker
The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron
The Dark Side of the Light Chasers by Debbie Ford
What has shaped how I practice
Kaplan and Sadock’s Synopsis of Psychiatry by Benjamin Sadock, Virginia Sadock, and Pedro Ruiz
Russell Barkley’s Taking Charge of Adult ADHD
Adult Children of Emotionally Immature Parents by Lindsay Gibson
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk
Attached by Amir Levine