What made you decide to start Today Has Purpose?
“After working in the field of mental health for years and seeing the needs of clients that were not always effectively being addressed, I felt compelled to do something more. I started Today Has Purpose based on the notion that the people I work with are exactly that; people. Not just patients or clients, but individuals that need individualized treatment. We all come from different walks of life, have different experiences, different stressors, different worries,fears, and goals. I wanted to create an option for people seeking help with their issues that is free from the stigma that therapy has been traditionally associated with. I wanted to be sure that each person I sit down with is treated with dignity and respect and feels heard; challenged to grow, but heard. I believe in classical models for addressing mental health concerns, but I also see where the field is going and want to stay at the forefront of treatment to help address the concerns that contemporary life brings.”
So how do you address contemporary concerns?
“Well that is a bit of a complicated question, as like I previously mentioned, everyone is different. However, I like to acknowledge trends in society that can contribute to people’s concerns. Generally speaking, we live in a time in which people are working longer hours, and more jobs for less pay relative to the cost of living. I try to appreciate the need for convenient but effective treatment that meets people where their busy lives need to be met. This is why Today Has Purpose is conveniently located in Southpointe. As a busy business park, I realize that people do not always have time to take two hours out of their day to drive across town for a therapy session, so I wanted to locate our practice somewhere where individuals and professionals can come in on their lunch break, or conveniently stop by on their way home from work. But some people might even find coming into the office too burdensome with their schedules, which is why we offer teletherapy options for treatment that can enable them to talk with their therapist over a secure video platform from the comfort of their own home or office. Additionally, an area of focus I have in my work deals with work/life stress. We realize the stress associated with balancing a busy working life with family obligations and attempting to stay healthy and focused in the process. As a therapist with an MBA, I try to bring a unique perspective to my counseling services that can address concerns associated with the rigor of being a busy professional. We are also focused on hiring staff members that are experienced in diverse clinical disciplines that address the spectrum of mental and behavioral health concerns.”
Does that mean you only work with busy career professionals?
“Not in the least. I am above all else a generalist practitioner and have worked with diverse client populations throughout my career to address issues ranging from anxiety and depression to caregiver stress, abuse concerns, trauma and a variety of other issues that people from many different cultural, ethnic and socioeconomic backgrounds can confront. Additionally, I am trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization Reprocessing) which has been historically used to treat trauma, but can address concerns associated with other diagnoses that traditional talk therapy might not fully alleviate. It is also a modality of treatment that can help clients see results in a shorter duration of treatment that traditional forms of therapy, lending itself to being an especially effective and efficient form of treatment as well.”
Outside of work, what else do you enjoy?
“I really enjoy hitting the driving range or if I have the time, squeezing in 9 holes. I’m a pretty big Pittsburgh sports fan, and a regular fantasy football team member. I love getting outdoors, bike riding, taking my dog for a walk, and my wife and I love to travel. While I do try my hand at cooking, I still have a lot to learn and probably am best-versed on a grill. I also have seen a ton of movies, and love checking out new ones in the theaters, but don’t mind staying in and watching some 80’s and 90’s classics.”
Where do you see Today Has Purpose in the next five years?
“My goal with Today Has Purpose is to develop it into a recognized name in highly-effective and efficient therapy in Pittsburgh. We are striving to meet the growing demands for mental health services in our region and want to provide options for treatment that address people’s real life concerns with respect and consideration of their time and energy. Psychotherapy is challenging work for a person to engage in. We recognize that it takes a lot of bravery to start talking with a therapist, so we want to make sure that we are making the process as convenient and considerate as we can. This is why we aspire to provide teletherapy and telemedicine services to our clients as well as in person treatment. In the coming months and years we are determined to provide services to everyone who needs them, regardless of time constraints and transportation issues.”