Sean Knoche, LCSW

I knew in my teens I was going to practice psychotherapy. I was the friend others came to for support, the one they shared their secrets with. I believe my mother's death in my childhood made me an observer, curious about people and what shapes them. It taught me to accept the seemingly unacceptable and motivated me to help others on their journey. I consider the acceptance of her loss a gift in an ugly wrapper. Another factor in my decision to become a Clinical Social Worker was my love of music. I grew up listening to The Grateful Dead and Hip-Hop. Listening to The Grateful Dead, I felt all my emotions, the good and the bad. It helped me dream and helped me grieve. Hip-Hop, particularly Chuck D of Public Enemy, educated me and gave rise to my social conscience. Because I had lost my mother, I related to the sense of injustice vividly expressed in Hip-Hop. I no longer felt so alienated. I felt like I could say or do something to change lives. It also resulted in me getting detention for calling a middle school teacher a bigot, and he was, but that assertion was a seedling of my voice, still growing and raw. Building on my own experience, I decided to make a career fueled by my compassion and gained the training and expertise to help people on a deeper level. I’m grateful that I found meaningful work helping others to improve the quality of their life. After all, quality of life is what matters most. My Mission To help you improve the quality of your life and live the life you want. My Perspective Mental health struggles are common. In fact, mental health and behavioral difficulties are a regular part of modern life. Life is challenging; Loss, transition, aging, relationships and the expectations we put on ourselves impact us all. I find it irritating that these ordinary events, and the anxiety or depression they can cause get labeled as disorders. Some believe wellness comes from changing or ridding ourselves of negative thoughts. However, more recently we’ve come to understand that approach works in the short term but rarely offers long-term relief. Lasting change requires a new relationship with our thoughts, emotions. We need an understanding of our behaviors, both healthy and unhealthy. When we accomplish this, we become more accepting and compassionate toward ourselves, critical ingredients to living the life we want. I Connect the Science of Behavior Change to our Therapeutic Relationship I’m a firm believer in using evidence-based interventions, meaning we know they work. I’m also mindful of the power of the therapeutic relationship and the science behind it. While my approach is practical, it’s never cold. I enjoy helping people, and getting to know and understand what makes them tick. I am funny and have trouble not cursing, but my temperament is warm, calm and compassionate. You’ll know you’re not just being listened to but heard. I’m easy to engage with, and I provide a sense of safety allowing you to open up. The relationship we develop will be critical to helping you live the life you want. What Stands in the Way of Happiness? The very the very idea that we should be happy all the time and if we’re not, we have a problem. It's BS! Whom do you know that’s happy all the time? So, if relating differently to our thoughts and emotions is what takes to attain greater happiness, why do so many of us struggle with this? The answer is we avoid. We find ways to prevent unwanted thoughts, emotions, and sensations. We use our mobile devices, food, substances, and even perfectionism and people-pleasing. The remedy is a bit paradoxical. It’s not hiding from thoughts, feelings, and sensations but feeling them more, good or bad. We learn to view and experience them differently. When we begin to experience all of our emotions, we foster greater awareness of our behaviors, and we can cope with them more effectively. This knowledge allows us to make conscious choices that better align with our values. That is a path to contentedness. Working Together I’ll work with you to examine and embrace all of your emotions, changing your relationship with them; helping you to respond instead of reacting; to begin making conscious choices based on what’s most important to you, so you can live the life you want to live. My Experience I have over 20 years experience as a psychotherapist with individuals and groups in various treatment settings including inpatient, outpatient, private practice, a college counseling center and a trauma clinic. I have taught courses and lectured regularly at the graduate level throughout my career, trained and supervised student therapists, and continue to serve as a consultant for other mental health practitioners.