Justin earned a Master of Science in Community Counseling from the University of Wisconsin, Whitewater as well as a Master of Science in Adult Education and Human Services from the University of Wisconsin, Platteville. He is licensed in the State of Wisconsin as a Professional Counselor, and has worked in the counseling field since 2006. Justin works with clients to address a variety of challenges, including trauma, relationship conflicts, depression, and anxiety. In addition, Justin served as an infantryman in the U.S. army from 1998-2002, and he has a deep understanding of the unique experiences and struggles veterans face. He finds great fulfillment in working with veterans and advocating for their mental health needs.
Justin understands that life is complex, confusing, painful, and challenging--even under desirable circumstances. While approaches like Solution Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT) and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) can be helpful, they can be limited in facilitating transformational change. CBT tends to focus on conscious thought patterns and behavior, and it doesn't always access the implicit memories and emotional truths stored in the subcortical emotion centers of the brain that drive us and often leave us questioning why we do the things we do and feel the way we feel. Hence, cutting-edge neuroscience shows that while CBT can promote new learning and neural mapping, it may not address or rewire old, historical, and unhelpful cognitive and emotional truths that are deeply ingrained.
This is why Justin enjoys an eclectic approach, drawing from Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT), Mindfulness, and experiential exercises with a focus on “parts work”, which are effective in reaching unconscious patterns. These approaches allow individuals to access deeper emotional truths and create lasting change. Therefore, Justin’s interpersonal style is not strictly protocol-driven but aims to establish a high level of interaction and rapport while combining techniques in order to help clients move beyond old patterns and unlock meaningful transformation.
Specialties
Depression
Anxiety
PTSD
Couples