What I Do
I wear many different hats in my day-to-day life, so it makes sense to me to describe myself in relation to these roles. I’ll start with the reason you’re here . . .
Emotional health coach
I guide leaders in business and the healing professions in personalized, one-on-one Internal-Family-Systems-based practices that allow them to see, understand, and compassionately relate to all of the unconscious protective mechanisms that keep them from connecting with their highest wisdom and deepest, truest selves.
I began learning how to do this during my PhD training as a health scientist developing wellness programs for families affected by health crises. I helped to develop programs focused on diet, exercise, and sleep but found that mental and emotional health were the prerequisites for all other changes in our lives.
With the aim of designing more emotion-focused health programs, I trained in mindfulness-based stress reduction, health coaching techniques (such as motivational interviewing and active listening), emotion-focused therapeutic approaches, authentic relating, breathwork, and most importantly, Internal Family Systems. Throughout this time, I consulted with dozens of therapists, researchers, trainers, and coaches to learn how to blend all of these approaches in a way that drives deep self-discovery, emotional healing, and lasting emotional fitness.
I found through my academic and non-profit work and consulting that mindfulness is just one piece of a much larger puzzle. It needs to be included with emotion-focused, body-based approaches that allow us to reconnect with emotions in the body. Mindfulness-based approaches also need to be combined with more sophisticated models of stress, emotions, and healing. Through working with therapists, researchers, and other mental health practitioners, and combining several evidence-based practices, I developed an approach I call the OPEN Method (Observe, Process, Express, Nurture), which is the cornerstone of my coaching practice.
At each step in this journey, I went in as an academic researcher and program designer, but quickly found that I needed to do this inner work for myself and my family. Every technique I bring into my emotional fitness coaching, I practice personally every day. The OPEN Method has become the cornerstone of my own emotional healing and personal growth.
Cofounder and Director of Content, Yes Collective
I spend much of my time designing mental and emotional health programs and content for an online mental health platform called Yes Collective. We work with dozens of top psychologists, therapists, and coaches to help people live lives of flow, joy, meaning, and authenticity.
Cofounder of a childhood cancer nonprofit
In 2011, our four-year-old son was diagnosed with a rare and aggressive brain tumor. After and a month in the hospital and several surgeries to reduce the tumor size , we were sent home to start outpatient chemotherapy. He was barely able to walk or use the left side of his body, but we were committed to do everything in our power to give him the highest quality of life for as long as possible.
Out of this commitment, we were inspired to start Maxlove Project, a non-profit dedicated to improving quality of life for all families affected by childhood cancer. Today, we’ve helped over 20,000 kids and parents affected by childhood cancer with access to holistic therapies, integrative nutrition programs, facilitated social support, and evidence-based knowledge.
Father of two kids
Becoming a father has been the most meaningful experience of my life. It has connected me to my ancestors and to countless generations to come. It has shown me every area of my life where I hold old emotional wounds, fears, and pain, and where I wall off and protect myself from loving more deeply. It has called me to show up each day in ever fuller, more present, and more compassionate ways.
Married to my life partner of over 20 years
Like fatherhood, my marriage has shown me all the areas where I need to grow, become more honest, and allow for more vulnerability. Conflict and disconnection are inevitable. It’s the repair and reconnection that have opened up more joy, love, and meaning than I ever could have imagined.
Recovering academic and health scientist
I’ve spent over 25 years of my life in institutions of higher education, from undergrad through grad school and on into research and teaching. Shortly after I earned my first PhD (geography, UCLA), our son was diagnosed with brain cancer. After continuing on for a few years in the social sciences, I realized my passions had dramatically shifted. By then I had fallen in love with our non-profit work and I decided to return to school to get a PhD in public health (UC Irvine) with a focus on health behavior promotion and program design. After graduating, I continued to follow my passion for helping parents improve their and their family's health and cofounded Yes Collective with my wife Audra.
Conscious Dance DJ
I’m super excited to facilitate Savannah’s only conscious dance events, Ceremony / Savannah and Body & Soul. Twice a month we come together at Clearing House Savannah to do some Authentic Relating, guided meditation, and free-form dancing to move body and let our spirit take control.
