Jonathan Carraher

I see therapy as a collaboration between two people dealing with the messiness of being human. For me, being professional isn’t about appearances—it’s about a serious commitment to the ethics of counseling, to learning the craft of therapy, and to supporting your self-understanding as it evolves in real time.

My primary goal is to understand your life and your hopes on your terms. We work from there to help you get more of what you want and less of what you don't.

While my background includes a clinical license and training in a range of approaches to therapy, I also have a longstanding interest in history, philosophy, and literature. However, I don’t bring that book learning directly into our sessions; I hold that knowledge lightly and draw on it only when it may help. Whether you’re wrestling with deeper questions about purpose or just trying to get through a stressful week, I’m interested in helping you shift your life in ways that make what you want more likely.

I work well with people from a wide range of backgrounds and belief systems. You don’t need a particular worldview—or any specific way of talking about yourself—to work with me. If you’re willing to share what’s going on for you, we can usually work together.

I see therapy as a practical, active craft. My style is personable and warm—I’m a real person in the session with you—but I stay focused on the reasons you’re there. Even over telehealth, I aim to create a space that feels engaged, focused, and genuinely human.

I use what’s called feedback-informed therapy. In plain terms, that means I regularly check in with you about how our work is going—whether sessions feel useful and whether you’re actually seeing the changes you want in your life. I’m far more interested in your results than in sticking to any one theory. If something isn’t working, we adjust. Your feedback helps guide the process so we stay on track.

I train in a range of therapeutic approaches for anxiety, depression, and the kind of psychological distress that often shows up during life transitions or when you feel stuck. The goal is to work flexibly and find an approach together that fits you, rather than trying to make you fit a particular model.

The first session is about laying the groundwork. I aim to create an environment that feels relaxed and straightforward, where you can show up as a person—not a patient.

We’ll start with a bit of “housekeeping,” like reviewing informed consent, limits of confidentiality, and making sure you understand how we’ll work together. From there, the focus shifts to you. I want to understand what’s bringing you in at this point in your life. Whether you come in with a specific concern or a general sense that something isn’t working, I’ll give you space to talk in your own way and at your own pace.

If you’re using insurance, I’ll also ask some more structured intake questions so I can arrive at a diagnosis when needed. I try to handle that part clearly and efficiently, so it doesn’t take over the session.

Toward the end of our time, we’ll take a few minutes to check in about how the session felt for you. Because I use feedback-informed therapy, your perspective matters from the very beginning. If something felt off or didn’t quite land, I want to know—that way we can adjust early and make sure our work together is as useful as possible.