It's best to share my story on how I happened upon Derek. In late Spring of 2020 with the Covid pandemic emerging on the East coast, I started experiencing high level anxiety, which led to sleep disturbance, which led to tinnitus, and most importantly, to not being effective in society. My primary care physician pointed me to several prospective therapists. Initial consultations with several seemed worthwhile, but just didn't seem right. In a seemingly stroke of fate, Derek was appointed to me, while he was obtaining certification. Initially, I was not "understanding" Derek. I just wanted to be back to myself, back to normal. Derek emphasized, repeatedly, the nature of self-healing: it's a process, and it will take time. Moreover, the big point he stressed to me was "What if this is the new normal? Can you live with this, adapt to this?" It was to me, a slow process, but maybe to some, a quick one. Meetings went from once a week, to bi-weekly, to once a month, to once a quarter. One by one, the medications also tapered and dropped off. It is now Spring 2022, and Derek and I had a sign-off meeting several weeks ago. For the past six months, we've basically met to chat and check-in. My life is at a new normal, I've adapted. The realization is that life changes, life evolves. Health issues crop up. It is difficult to imagine this epoch in time for me without the help, understanding, and extreme patience of Derek. He is a true guide. I did not know his past included a career path in systems design. It all makes sense. He does see the "Big Picture", your big picture. His varied experiences tailor different approaches to different people. As it should be. We are all individuals. My abundance of gratitude towards Derek extends far beyond Thank You. No matter how many times I've stated this to him, he always humbly states "you're welcome or my pleasure". I believe his ultimate gratification is seeing the people he interacts with (not "patients") arrive at living the best life they can.
Per Siskel and Ebert: "Two thumbs up. Way up." Also, as a reference to Derek as a true guide, I was reminded of the film, What Dreams May Come. He embodies the character played by Max von Sydow/Cuba Gooding, Jr.
