MPA: Why do you love photography?
It gives me the opportunity to exercise the creative side of my brain that’s otherwise spent analyzing, diagnosing, and treating my clients as a licensed psychologist. I deeply appreciate the creativity photography not only affords me in grounding myself when shooting photos, but exercising that artistic part of me with post-processing my images.
MPA: Your favorite thing about MPA?
Hands down, the sense of family. There’s a deep family connection that moves beyond student-teacher, to feeling like an extended and integrated part of the MVPA family. Their genuineness—and the genuineness of many of their clients is palpable—be it a once-a-year meeting, or several times a year.
MPA: Your favorite thing about Photo Enthusiast Network?
The honest sense of non-judgmental community I feel when asking photography equipment-related questions, or requesting feed back on my photography.
MPA: Your favorite trip or course with MPA?
Hands down: Iceland. The beauty will forever change your life.
MPA: Your aspirations as a photographer/artist?
1) Emotionally move people with my photography; 2) proactively integrate my photography in the trauma work I do as a psychologist; 3) improve my pano photography skills; 4) improve my post-production editing skills; and 5) mass produce a mindfulness-based calendar for my pain clinic using my photography.
MPA: Where do you look forward to traveling next?
Antarctica. I fell in love with the colors in Iceland’s waterfalls and glaciers; I look forward to photographing the icebergs and animal life in the Antarctic.
MPA: Anything else you would like to share about your work?
I work long hours as a psychologist with my chronic pain clinic and with my private practice. For me, photography (shooting and/or editing) balances me by exercising my creativity. I specialize in a newer trauma-based therapy called Brainspotting (www.brainspotting.com) that’s been life-changing. I’m now bringing my photography into session to visually ground my clients who might otherwise be in a dysregulated emotional state due their trauma. My psychology and photography work are both featured on my website: www.actiipsychology.com.
