The process of therapy is a lot like going on an expedition. So humor me here and let’s say one day you decide it’s a good idea to sail from Portland, Maine up the Canadian Border and into the Arctic Circle. What a brave goal! The prospect is exciting but also scary. You know that to do it safely you will need different companions for different legs of the journey. If I’m lucky, you might choose me. 

The first step is to prepare the boat. In therapy, our relationship is how we “travel.” I work hard to make space for your despair, joy, anxiety, awkwardness, grief and awe. I will bring compassion, openness and warmth, as well as an aspiration to hold you safely accountable. 

Pretty soon we’ll find that we’re going somewhere, setting sail and cruising along. During this phase I like to work collaboratively, relationally and experientially. We will explore what is showing up for you moment-by-moment in the therapy room, be it emotionally, cognitively, bodily and, if it’s relevant to you, spiritually. 

My approach is eclectic, and currently draws from Emotion Focused and Gestalt Therapy. I find that Buddhist psychology can be helpful in these “expeditions,” so mindfulness and meditation might be included in our time together, too. Above all, remember that this work is collaborative. You’re the one at the wheel. 

My own self-work is important to me, and has recently manifested in wilderness-based group  and individual work, as well as my own therapy and meditation practice. My other jobs have included residential carpenter, high school English teacher, tall ship crew, and wilderness therapy guide in the White Mountains. 

Rory (he/him)

Graduate Student Intern