Jonathan Boland, LCSW - Trauma Specialist & Life Coach

“Hope is not a lottery ticket you can sit on the sofa and clutch, feeling lucky. Hope is an axe you break down doors with in an emergency. Hope should shove you out the door. To hope is to give yourself to the future.” -Rebecca Solnit Do you feel like you’re not reaching your full potential? Are you struggling to reach your goals in life? Do you feel like a prisoner of your past? You are not alone. Life doesn’t have to be this way. You’ve come to the right place. Change is possible. I believe in you. Let’s do this. I have helped hundreds of clients just like you to: heal from trauma and other stressful experiences eliminate panic attacks and chest pain achieve peak performance at work maximize potential and resiliency I’d be honored to be a part of your journey. Let me walk with you. I use healing techniques that allow you to feel safe and empowered to confront the demons of your past. These proven evidence-based therapy methods backed by peer-reviewed research demolish the psychological barriers that are holding you back. With fifteen years of expertise as a trauma specialist, I’m an experienced clinician who is dedicated to helping others. POPULATIONS I’VE HELPED Survivors of trauma Active duty Marines First responders LGBTQ+ Elite athletes Business leaders Incarcerated sex offenders Consensual non-monogamy Performers/actors/actresses Immigrants seeking asylum International aid workers People living in poverty Poly relationships Sex workers Veterans Parents CEOs THE PATH TO RADICAL CHANGE & PSYCHOLOGICAL GROWTH Therapy is an investment in yourself, your relationships, and your overall quality of life. Taking this step signifies that you are looking for change. I am here to guide you through your transformation of becoming who you were meant to be, giving you the courage you need to step into your true authentic self. In my therapeutic work, I am actively engaged with clients who are motivated for radical change in their lives. I am not a passive therapist. If you are looking for someone to simply listen, smile, and nod, I am not the right therapist for you. I will certainly listen and validate your experiences; however, I will also challenge you because I know your life can be better. It doesn’t have to be this way, but radical change takes hard work and persistence. Let me be your guide. “Some people are uncomfortable with the disruption that change causes, but the disruption is necessary if anything is going to change.” -Afeni Shakur I guarantee I can help you reach your goals and maximize your potential. I have faith that everything you need to heal and grow is within you. The Atlantis you seek can be yours. It’s in you, but you might not know how to find it. Let me take you there. Most therapists are not trained in the modalities required for deeper therapeutic healing that can rewire the brain with long-lasting results. Those clinicians do great work in helping you to cope better with life stressors, but you leave feeling like you just have bandages on wounds that will never heal. I’m here to tell you that healing all of those wounds from past experiences is possible. You may have only been through Stage 1 of therapy. Let me introduce you to Stage 2, where real transformation occurs. “You are not obligated to complete the work, but neither are you free to abandon it.” -Talmud I can guide you in finding the healing networks that inherently exist in our minds and bodies. Let me join you in your journey of self-discovery. The path toward healing is within you. I will help you find it. Trauma happens in the space between people. Healing happens in the same place. I'm here to create that healing space for you. OUR THERAPEUTIC RELATIONSHIP My job is to have hope for people, and I have a passion for assisting others reach their fullest potential in life. I believe all human beings hold inherent worth and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, no matter who you are, where you've been, and what you've done. You have value, and you matter. Whatever you're going through, I am here to support you without judgment. My approach to therapy is down-to-earth, meeting people where they are through conversation. I view all of my work through a social justice lens. Quality therapy requires full consciousness of the intersectional identities and complex stressors that affect our lives. I cater my therapeutic approach to the individual because I know human beings are complex, and every individual is unique. I may be a trained clinician and a trauma specialist, but you are the expert on your own life. Therapy is a collaborative process in assisting you find greater peace and balance. It can be hard work, but I'll help to carry the burden. I understand it's not easy opening up to a complete stranger. I know that trust and respect take time. I do not expect you to trust me just because I have a graduate degree, but I hope to earn your trust. I am a good listener, easy to talk to, and believe me, I've heard it all. Clients open up to me about things they have never shared with anyone else. Let me unburden you from your secrets and lighten the emotional load you carry. EDUCATION Bachelor of Science in Psychology: The Ohio State University Honors College Master of Social Work (MSW): Columbia University Master of Public Health (MPH): Columbia University Post-Graduate Fellowship: Naval Medical Center San Diego PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, I am a well-trained and experienced mental health provider who is consistently improving my own skillset to incorporate the latest research on therapeutic growth. I also have a diverse set of work experiences that have shaped how I approach psychotherapy. I am both a Navy Veteran and a former Peace Corps Volunteer, and I spent the early years of my career as a community organizer in the marriage equality movement. My clinical foundation was built on working with adult survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and child abuse. While in graduate school at Columbia University in New York City, I seized every opportunity to learn from the best in the field. When I was a Naval Officer, I worked as an active duty mental health provider at five different duty stations, including two tours as the Director of Mental Health at clinics on military bases. During those years, I treated nearly every mental health condition but maintained a specialty in treating issues related to trauma and/or sexuality. Since then, I have worked in prisons, non-profits, and telehealth clinics. California is home, but I was born and raised in rural Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh. I come from a blue-collar, working-class family. A Midwesterner at heart, early life experiences shaped my values of compassion, honesty, hard work, and empathy. I look forward to hearing your story. “Do you think water is strong? The river? What about the ocean? When you find yourself facing the ocean, the question of whether or not it’s strong doesn’t really matter anymore. Water is water no matter where it is. That’s the nature of who we are. Our true value is not in being the water but in that we could be ocean. Can you be ocean?” -Kōhei Azano ---------------- *Listed rates below are the same for individuals, couples, families, and polycules. FREE CONSULTATION: I offer a free 15-minute Zoom meeting for prospective new clients. INSURANCE: I do not take insurance; however, I will give you a paid invoice after every session with all of the information you need to submit a claim to your insurance for partial reimbursement. GIVING BACK: My private practice work helps to supplement low-cost therapy sessions and psychological evaluations I conduct for: Immigrants seeking asylum with the non-profit Survivors of Torture; Military veterans in the VA Community Care Program; and LGBTQ+ clients on Medicaid/Medi-Cal (Images courtesy of Lauren Natalie Photography)