I came to this profession late in life, but I am grateful for the opportunity to use my education and training, as well as my life experience to support others. I believe that as mental health professionals it is our responsibility not only to provide guidance and support for our clients, but also to ensure they clearly understand this process. My previous experiences with therapy, and the experiences of my friends and family who have tried therapy, convinced me it is vital to make sure our clients understand how this process works – what are our responsibilities as therapists and what are your goals as a client? I have experience working with people in recovery, as well as at-risk youth, and hope to dedicate my practice to both populations. As an older man, I am also keenly aware of the specific challenges we face as aging adults, particularly those in the midst of retirement. I am an intern therapist working under the supervision of Jonathan Statt, LMFT, at Affinity Counseling. I am working on completing my MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling at The Chicago School.