Hi, please call me Dug (pronounced just like Doug).  I was born in New Jersey and have lived since in Philadelphia, east Tennessee, Chicago, and DC.  Several years ago I moved to Seattle and the best neighborhood in Seattle, West Seattle. Career-wise, I have always been on the path of "helping." My previous careers have involved animal and child advocacy, fitness consulting (I still have my national certification as an NSCA-CSCS), and freelance journalism specializing in educational articles about health and wellness.

I am currently working on my Ph.D. Clinical Psychology from Fielding Graduate University and completed my first doctoral practicum as a therapist at the Fremont Community Therapy Project. I earned my M.A. in Applied Behavioral Science from the Leadership Institute of Seattle through Bastyr University.  In the state of Washington, a Licensed Mental Health Counselor and a Child Mental Health Specialist. I am also a member of the American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists (AASECT), American Psychological Association, and the Washington State Psychological Association.

Outside of school and my private practice, I give presentations, do research, write articles, and attend educational workshops. I get incredible joy as both the editor-in-chief of Washington Psychologist, the publication of the Washington State Psychological Association  where I am also a council member; and as a member of the editorial board for Contemporary Sexuality, a publication for AASECT professionals. I am a mental health provider with the Crime Victims' Compensation Program and volunteer as a therapist for Give An Hour, an organization that helps connect military families to no-cost therapy.

Now, the fun stuff! I run, bike, swim, weight lift...anything that doesn't require hand-eye-ball coordination. I also love music, dancing, and movies. At home when I'm not reading or writing papers, I am obeying the commands of the two loves of my life, Jay Bee and Oreo--two rescued black and white geriatric Shih Tzus.