A Letter from Daniel

Hi, I’m Daniel.

I know what it’s like to sit on the other side, to be the client, wondering if any of this was actually going to help. So if you’re feeling nervous, unsure, or even a little skeptical right now, that’s totally normal, and I also welcome it here. As a therapist, I try to bring a calm, warm energy into the room because I know how much courage it takes just to show up.

I’ll be honest with you: I’m not the most polished, buttoned-up therapist you’ll ever meet. I’m not big on jargon because I’d rather things feel understandable and relatable than clinical. And while I want this space to feel comfortable, I’ll also be direct with you when it matters. Sometimes healing means sitting in the discomfort, and I’m willing to do that with you.

I’m also an open book, as I believe therapy is deeply relational. If you ask, here are some things you might learn about me: I love hiking (as long as it’s not 100 degrees out), and I actually run a hiking group at the LGBTQ Center, where I have the amazing opportunity to connect people with two of my favorite things: nature and other people. I’m an open book, and I also like to read books, though sometimes I may trade that in for a night of binging reality TV, where I can just turn my brain off. I’m also fluent in Spanish, thanks to a Mexican mom who simply wouldn’t accept being answered to in English growing up. As frustrating as that was, I’m endlessly grateful for that now.

Before this, I spent years in family law. I thought that path would be fulfilling, but the longer I stayed, the more it felt like it was doing harm instead of good. That's what led me here, to work that helps build people up and heal instead.

Here’s what I’ve come to believe, and what shapes how I see my role and people: there is nothing wrong with you. Nothing is broken. Nothing needs fixing. I think most of what we carry: shame, trauma, low self-worth, feeling lost or stuck, etc., is not flawed but simply misunderstood. When we begin to approach ourselves with more curiosity, shame starts to loosen its hold on us, and we’re invited to understand ourselves some more. It’s my belief that we can’t really love something we don’t understand. So that’s where we’ll start: understanding first. Love tends to follow.

Getting to witness that shift in someone, where they learn to offer themselves that kind of love, is exactly why I do this work.

You don’t need fixing. You need understanding. And I’d be honored to help you find it.

Daniel