Nathan Smith (he/him)

I have had to deal with severe ADHD and for most of my life thought it was a roadblock that would keep me from accomplishing my goals. I eventually learned how to manage my symptoms and even appreciate some of the benefits of being different in this way. People with ADHD may need certain accommodations in life and in therapy, but this does not mean that they are incapable of growth or fulfillment.

As a member of the LGBTQIA Community, I'm especially excited to work with my people. It can be challenging to find peace in a world that degrades one's identity, in big ways and small, often from before the time we understand who we are and who we love. Whatever issues a member of any marginalized group comes to therapy for, can be made worse by experiences of oppression, shame, fear, and other common experiences faced by that group. I hope to help create space and hope for these and all people

I feel that feeling good about one's self is the most commonly lost aspect of the human experience and that the development of a full and rich narrative around one's experience and identity is a big part of how people recover it. In my work with clients, we explore their histories, beliefs, and ideals in search of meaning and their most desired path through life. I believe that relationships have a massive impact on the ways we feel about and relate to ourselves, so they often take center stage.

Emotions are signals to our consciousness that alert and orient us to our environments. Staying attuned to these signals and exploring their meanings is fundamental to my work as a therapist. Some people feel that their emotions lead them astray, that they are too big, or too disorganized to be useful; in my view, even the most destructive or scary feelings point to clues that inform the direction therapy should take, making them crucial to the work.

Our bodies hold so much knowledge that may be outside conscious awareness and tuning in to them can create awareness of truth that before seemed beyond our grasp. Paying attention to our bodies and what they are trying to communicate to us is a skill deeply underemphasized in Western cultures, and learning how can be extremely beneficial towards understanding our own needs and overcoming trauma.

Who are you? To yourself, to your loved ones, to society? I believe that this question lies at the core of the human struggle and that too many parts of the answer are taken for granted. We have been surrounded by messages about who we are and should be, long before we have the tools to decide if we agree. As a Narrative Therapist, I explore with clients many of the assumptions that have come to dominate their lives, working towards choosing a life based on their own beliefs.