Matt began his career in mental health working with adolescents transitioning from foster care into independent living situations. From there he worked at a residential facility with adolescent males for several years before transitioning to a day treatment setting working with children ages 2-12 with severe emotional and behavioral issues.

Matt taught high school for one year but transitioned back to my work with children in day treatment using a Collaborative Problem solving model for several years before enrolling in a graduate program at Gonzaga. His time working with children and adolescence provided insight into the myriad of issues impacting growth, identity development and trust in others, lessons he uses on a daily basis working with adults.

During Matt’s schooling, he sought work with adults and established an internship working with adults in an Intensive Outpatient program using Dialectical Behavioral therapy as a model. He gravitated towards attachment theory in school, using the Circle of Security framework as a basis for his interventions and incorporating existentialism into his therapeutic approach.

When not working, Matt enjoys live music, spending time with friends, good television shows (i.e. Nathan For You) and flying his kite on the Oregon coast as part of my kite fliers club established in 2008. Matt finds humor to be a wonderful anecdote for the pressure and challenges of this line of work.