Andrew Wood (he/him)
Associate-LPC (OR), LPC (Ohio), MS Mental Health Counseling, PhD Counselor Education
andrew@intrepidtherapy.com
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Hello! My name is Andrew and I’m a big fan of mental health. Life has a way of getting us down as it’s not really designed in its current form to boost people up. This can affect some people more than others due to factors like systemic oppression, valuing certain types of bodies or abilities more than others, or just a general thirst for capital and power that others try to extract from us. As a mental health counselor, I am very much interested in those areas that we have been told to feel ashamed about, the areas where we are scared to ask for help in. Those feelings of fear and anxiety, guilt and depression, traumatizing experiences, anger, or anything else we’ve been largely conditioned to “suck up” or ignore. I’m here to talk about those things, to air out those wounds, and help folks come to a better sense of who they are. Along the way we can explore some evidenced-based methods to cope with life and our own stories that get repeated over and over. I’m very interested in helping you to come to a better sense of self-acceptance – it’s tough and we’re all on the journey together. But as an outside perspective, someone to take off some of the load at least momentarily, I’m eager to work with you and see how we can navigate this capitalist hellscape collaboratively, and maybe get some laughs in along the way.
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My approach to counseling draws from a rich tapestry of therapeutic theories and practices, including:
• Existential Therapy: Exploring the fundamental questions of existence, meaning, and purpose.
• Narrative Therapy: Helping you re-author your life stories in ways that empower and liberate.
• Relational Cultural Theory: Fostering growth-fostering relationships and understanding the impact of cultural contexts.
• Liberation Psychology: Addressing social injustices and working towards collective well-being.
In addition to these major approaches, I enjoy working with more specific techniques from the world of cognitive behavioral theory, mindfulness approaches, and anything else that you think might be helpful on your journey.
My work is deeply rooted in social justice principles, and I am committed to creating a therapeutic space that is inclusive, affirming, and transformative. I align with anarchist principles, advocating for equality, mutual aid, and the dismantling of oppressive systems. Together, we will explore how societal structures impact your well-being and work towards personal and collective liberation.
In our sessions, you can expect a warm, inviting, sometimes humorous, and non-judgmental environment where your unique experiences and perspectives are honored. We will collaborate to identify your goals and develop strategies that resonate with your values and aspirations. My aim is to support you in navigating life’s challenges, fostering resilience, and cultivating a deeper sense of connection and purpose with life and community.
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I grew up in the odd and lore-producing state of Florida and claim a pride in the hodgepodge of culture and identity wrapped up in a weird place. For all of it’s political issues, it’s a beautiful place with beautiful people. I grew up in North/Central Florida in particular which is much more Southern in identity than the rest of the state, so I grew up in the bible belt with grandparents that listened to a ton of bluegrass. Although I don’t identify with some aspects of this culture, I still listen to bluegrass and country here and there. Craving some adventure when finishing up my education, I ventured out west with my wife and we greatly to really appreciate the Pacific Northwest. Then somehow, we found ourselves in Cincinnati for a while and enjoyed the snow and getting to know a lot of great people. We are delighted to be back out West. Throughout all the geographic pingponging, a relatively strong anti-authoritarian upbringing, and access to plenty of political music along the way, my interest in mental health naturally intersected with the world of politics and trying to find more radical ways toward healing than our traditional approaches to mental health led on. There’s an inherent politic to the work we do in the mental health field as there’s an inherent politic to the life we live in the systems that immediately surround us and can be supportive of detrimental to our health, to the larger systems that do the same. And at the same time, there’s an opportunity for us to affect those systems through cooperation with one another.
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I welcome people of all backgrounds and identify myself mostly as a generalist in mental health. I do find myself drawn to a few different areas based on my experience with previous clients (so I definitely welcome new areas of discussion to broaden my interests as well and we can grow together). That being said, if you don't fall into any of the focus areas below, I am still very much interested in speaking with you.
Issues of identity and discovering who you are, authentically.
Discussions about creativity, art, and the stressors that life brings to that topic.
Chronic illness-related issues and/or caring for someone with a chronic illness (e.g., caregiving, general support)
Discussing religion and spirituality, whether in a quest to find out more about yourself, or recovering from religious or spiritual abuse/trauma
Men and masculinity and understanding a male identity that works to support a person rather than bring them down, including sex and sexuality
Topics surrounding body image, acceptance, and/or being a fat person
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I got my Bachelor’s of Science degree from the University of North Florida, with a major in Psychology and a minor in Religious Studies. I continued and received my Master’s of Science in Mental Health Counseling as well. I then went slightly south and got my Ph.D. in Education with a specialization in Counselor Education and Supervision from the University of Central Florida. Although I have a Ph.D., this degree does not indicate a higher level of clinical training, but rather a focus on research, teaching and supervision in counseling. I include this information as previous clients have called me Dr. Wood and I’d very much like you to call me Andrew.
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Online Psychotherapy, Therapeutic Coaching, and Professional Consultation
$100 session fee
Insurance: out-of-network
Schedule directly through online scheduler.
If you’re unable to find an available time that works for you, please reach out to andrew@intrepidtherapy.com
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I’m a big fan of creativity and all its expressions. I’m a musician in my spare time, having played and gigged in bands since my teenage years, ranging from death metal to indie pop. I can be said to be a fan of extremes in creativity and art, but at the end of the day, I appreciate that creativity is being expressed. I love listening and playing music, finding new music from today or the past. Movies and TV have always been a passion, growing up as a class “indoor kid” in the 90s. In that same vein, I’m also a big fan of professional wrestling. In recent years, I’ve delved into the expensive and fun world of film photography, again seeing new interpretations of creativity with older materials. Having a tactile hobby is nice amidst much of the other work in life being online.
