hi! I’m Michael

I am currently completing my Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology at The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology. As a clinical intern at Agave Studio in Chicago, I am working toward licensure in both Illinois and Hawaiʻi—two places I call home.

Beyond the clinical space, my heart for mentorship has been rooted in a decade-long commitment to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago. I believe we are built for belonging—to ourselves, to one another, and to our community—and my work is fueled by the belief that no one should have to navigate life’s complexity alone.

Random facts: I have lived in Prague for 20 years, I am the youngest of 5 children, I like fall and spring better than winter and summer, I am all about the concepts of hygge and teolaí and lagom (look these up!), I love to have deep conversations and eat good food with my favorite people, I love long walks in pretty places, I am 4w5 on the enneagram and an INFJ, and I absolutely love my work.

Areas of Clinical Interest

Education & Training

M.A. in Counseling Psychology
The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology

B.A. in Communication
Wheaton College

Children & Teens Grief Facilitation Certification
The Dougy Center for Grieving Children & Families

My approach

I am the passenger and the witness, holding an expansive, non-judgmental space where every part of you—the glorious, the petty, the fearful, and the divine—is invited to have a seat.

My approach is deeply relational and psychodynamic, rooted in the belief that what was wounded in relationship must be healed in relationship. I also believe healing is embodied. We don't just talk about the story; we listen to how the body carries it. I incorporate somatic experiencing and meditative grounding to help you find a soft place to land within your own nervous system.

About Agave Studio

As a clinician-in-training at Agave Studio, my work is guided by an interdisciplinary and holistic model of wellness. This framework ensures our time together is:

  • Interdisciplinary: Drawing on both psychodynamic and cognitive-behavioral approaches to honor the complexity of your experience.

  • Trauma-Informed: Recognizing that the "shocks" of life require a space that knows how to hold and treat acute and complex trauma.

  • Spiritually Minded: Honoring your faith, beliefs, and questioning as a vital part of your identity and flourishing.

  • Embodied: Integrating the body as your greatest tool for regulation and wholeness.

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