For those LifeWorks NW serves, Gerald is both a voice and an effective listener.  He determines the diagnosis, writes prescriptions, manages medication, and offers brief, supportive therapy.

“We focus on the here and now,” says Gerald. “What can we do right now, to change the right now.” That can be challenging, as Gerald sees people experiencing a lot of distress.  “They are just trying to survive,” he says.

There are several factors, such as community stressors, limited mental health services, decreased funding, and staffing battles. “Most people are struggling financially,” adds Gerald.

Those struggles seem to peak when the seasons change. “We are very complex organisms,” Gerald says. That complexity is what first drew him to his chosen specialty. “I just like the brain, and I like human behavior.”