ABOUT MARK:
Mark is a product of the East Bay and raised his five young adult children in Walnut Creek. He spent over 20 years working in various marketing roles before transitioning to a second career as a therapist. Mark is passionate about psychology yet brings strong theological acumen and training into the therapeutic process for those who wish to incorporate a Christ-centered perspective, including concepts such as faith, forgiveness, eternity, human brokenness, justice, redemption, morality, community, worship and spiritual practices. Mark focuses on serving adults but is also passionate about working with teens

Mark invests in building trusted relationships with his clients and establishing a space where they can be seen, heard and understood. His approach is anchored in the assumption that the main drive in the human personality is to be loved and accepted, which is experienced in therapy and is ultimately established through a growing awareness that one’s core identify is found as a beloved child of God. Mark leverages evidenced-based modalities in therapy such as cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to repair faulty beliefs, attachment theory to resolve childhood wounds, Jungian psychology which emphasizes the role of the unconscious, existential therapy which incorporates the drive to find meaning and a strengths-based approach that helps clients see the inner resources and abilities they have to solve complex problems. He is also trained in Men’s issues with an understanding of the psychological and spiritual markers associated with healthy male development. Mark also believes that the quality of relationships in his clients’ lives are indicators of overall quality of life and mental health. As such, he supports health in personal relationships by focusing on boundary-setting, intimacy issues, isolation/loneliness, communication and codependency. Mark is also very adept with helping clients work through career development issues with a focus on clarifying one’s deepest passions and giftedness to find improved career satisfaction.

Mark has worked in churches, a psychiatric hospital and two counseling centers in the past and is very involved at Walnut Creek Presbyterian Church (WCPC) where he serves in the Men’s ministry and is also a Deacon. He has also been deeply impacted by the ministries of Young Life throughout his life where he has held key leadership roles. Mark and five generations of family members have also been shaped by the ministry of Mount Hermon.