About Max
Personal Story:
I spent a decade building something that looked right and felt wrong.
Biotech. Business development. Ten years of performing at a high level in rooms that rewarded confidence and punished hesitation.
I was good at it. And somewhere along the way, I stopped recognizing myself in the life I'd built.
So I changed everything. Not recklessly. Deliberately.
New city. New career. A move toward something that felt aligned with who I actually am, not who I'd been performing as.
I came to Hong Kong, began training as a clinical mental health counselor, and started doing the work I was always meant to do: sitting with people in the hard moments and helping them find their way through.
I didn't come to counseling because I had it figured out. I came because I was honest enough to admit I didn't, and brave enough to act on it.
That's the same thing I ask of the people I work with.
Credentials
I'm nearing completion of a Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counselling at the Townsend Institute at Concordia University Irvine.
I'm a Student Member of the Hong Kong Professional Counselling Association (HKPCA) and will apply for Certified Counsellor membership after graduation. My clinical work is supervised by Dr. Katrina Rozga, who holds credentials with the CCPA, HKPS, APCPA, and HKPCA.
I'm trained in Gottman Method Couples Therapy. I will be building supervised clinical hours through placements at The Harbour School and HELP for Domestic Workers here in Hong Kong.
My Current Practice
I work with a small number of clients while completing my master's degree. All clinical work is conducted under formal supervision with Dr. Rozga, within the scope agreed with her, and with informed consent that explains my training stage.
Until I graduate and complete certification, I take cases selectively and refer when a different level or type of care is the right fit. In 2027, after graduation, I'll apply for full HKPCA Certified Counsellor membership, secure professional indemnity insurance, and expand my practice.
My Approach
I'm integrative. I pull from multiple frameworks depending on what you need, not what fits neatly into a textbook.
Person-centered. Existential. Cognitive-behavioral. Gottman-informed for couples.
I stay grounded in evidence, but I also trust the room. Sometimes the most important moment in a session is the one nobody planned.
You can expect me to be warm, direct, and honest. I ask real questions. I don't hide behind clinical distance.
And I'll push back when I think it matters, because that's what respect looks like in a therapeutic relationship.
Who I Work With
Men navigating identity, stress, and emotional shutdown.
Couples who feel stuck or disconnected.
Expat teens and young adults caught between cultures.
And anyone going through a transition that's bigger than they expected.
I'm based in Hong Kong. I offer in-person sessions and online sessions for clients across the region.
What I’m Working On
Completing my MA in Clinical Mental Health Counseling
Engaged in my clinical internship at a private practice, The Harbour School, and HELP for Domestic Workers in Hong Kong.
Writing What Men Say on the Couch.
Building this practice one honest conversation at a time.
Beyond the Office
When I'm not in session, I'm probably on the water or on hiking trails.
I sail, swim, wakesurf, and bask in the abundance of nature that Hong Kong has to offer. I read too much sci-fi.
I'm engaged to my partner Sarah, and we're building a life here that reflects everything I ask my clients to reach for: authenticity, balance, and connection.
