ABOUT

Hello there! My name is Spenser and I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist based in Encinitas, California.

People usually want a therapist they connect well with, so I have included some information below about my background, training, and outside interests to help you determine if we might work well together.

I take a straightforward approach to therapy and do my best to demystify the process (therapists can be helpful but we are not wizards!). I work with clients with a wide range of issues such as anxiety, depression, grief, self-esteem, relationship challenges, and life transitions. I specialize in and particularly enjoy treating anxiety disorders including OCD, GAD, and panic disorder.

I became a therapist after experiencing a lot of growth as a client in therapy. I have spoken at the International OCD Foundation annual conference and have also written for their blog. If you are curious, you can hear more about my experience on The OCD Stories podcast.

I have extensive training experience in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) and Prolonged Exposure (PE) and I completed a 3 year Core Training course in Intensive Short-term Dynamic Psychotherapy (ISTDP). I completed my practicum training at Sharp McDonald Center and my associate hours with Bold Health I take an integrative approach to therapy, I draw from different modalities to match the needs of my client. I am a member of the Open Therapy Institute, an organization centered around providing care for clients of all worldviews and political viewpoints. I have seen clients ages 13-75 with a diverse set of racial, ethnic, and religious backgrounds.

I have a variety of interests outside of therapy and have spent time working as a filmmaker, photographer, videographer, and trivia host. I graduated summa cum laude from Northwestern University with a degree in Film & Television and a minor in psychology. I completed my Master of Arts in Marital and Family Therapy from the University of San Diego. I am also working towards a Certified Personal Training Credential from the National Association of Sports Medicine (NASM).

In my spare time, I love training for triathlon, reading books, watching films (Stanley Kubrick, Paul Thomas Anderson, Ari Aster, to name a few) and experiencing the outdoors. I am married to a civil engineer who loves Survivor and we have a baby boy who loves car rides and bright lights.