Day Adams (he/him)

Narrative 

Narrative therapy is a collaborative, non-pathologizing therapeutic approach. Two central ideas of this approach are that people are separate from problems and that we make meaning, act, and relate based on the stories that we know about our lives and the world. I first met narrative therapy in my graduate program and have since done extended graduate-level narrative therapy development through the Evanston Family Therapy Center.

Relational 

I was educated and trained at Lewis & Clark to practice therapy in a relational way. To me that means always recognizing that we are not just individuals cut off from the world and acting in a vacuum. We are fundamentally in connection with others, from before birth until long after death, and that, more than anything else, is what gives our lives shape and meaning. I do my best to always honor and center that connectedness in the therapeutic relationship.

Feminist

To me, a feminist approach to therapy involves being aware and critical of power differences and the way that narrow and culturally-influenced ideas about our identities can negatively impact our wellbeing. I try to center often-marginalized voices and question what might seem like "common sense". I work hard to practice therapy as horizontally as possible, leaning on collaboration around direction, self-disclosure, and not pretending to have the best answers.

Men's Issues

Men face a particular array of challenges these days and we are prone to feeling isolated and burdened with expectations and uncertainty. It can be helpful to have a space to talk with another man and consider what we're up against and what might be done to live in preferred ways. It's my honor to hold space for men to share what's really on their hearts and minds and talk it through together.

Relationship / Marriage Issues

Conflict, while inevitable in relationships, can be disconnecting without proper skills in repair and communication. Habits, expectations, and values all impact how we collaborate with the people we love. Through talking about how we experience these things with our partners, we open doors to being able to relate in preferred ways and reconnect. I also work individually with: - people who've had affairs and want to understand and change - individuals who are doing couples therapy

Postpartum

I have additional clinical training in perinatal mental health. I see new dads (sometimes with partners) who are preparing for (prenatal) or in the midst of (postpartum) the challenges of adjusting to life after having a child/children. This time is wild and all sorts of things can come up, including intense sadness, worry, and anger - we'll find ways together to stay grounded and connected in your relationships and community, in order to be open to this experience of broad and deep change.

Political Climate

This historical moment is a scary one for many people. I believe we take care of us and that therapy can play an influential role in how we orient and respond to what is happening. As a leftist and someone who has been involved in a variety of organizing and political projects, I feel strongly about how personal and political struggles are interwoven and how acting collectively with others has a powerful influence on our own sense of agency and hope for a better future.

Anxiety

Anxiety can show up in many different forms; I'm personally familiar with its unsettling and distressing presence. I work to support you in being able to identify and resist its effects on your life, so that you can experience your own capability and freedom in the world.