Founder & President, Energetic Awakenings
Advanced Certified Core Energetics Practitioner & Senior Teacher, Certified Imago Relationship Facilitator, Reiki Master, Transformation Coach, Best Selling Author, TRE Provider, Speaker & Facilitator
Watch & Meet David!
My personal journey began in the 1990s, while I was in college. At that time, I needed to learn how to love myself as a gay man. I was fortunate to work with a counselor who helped me realize that I was okay just as I was. That simple truth became the foundation for much of the healing and transformation that followed in my life.
Fast forward 18 years after college. I had been in a loving relationship for 16 years, but I found myself unhappy and unsure of what to do. Eventually, I found the courage to say, “I deserve to be happy,” and I ended my relationship. That decision launched my next major transformation. I enrolled in a class on Powerful Presence and also chose to attend a spiritual retreat. I discovered a retreat in the Poconos focused on claiming joy and happiness—something I deeply needed. It turned out to be an enlightening experience. At the conclusion of the retreat, another participant said to me, “You need to go to Easton Mountain and attend the retreat Living Full Out. It will change your life!”
He was right. Living Full Out was my first experience with body-based therapy. It helped me access deeply held emotions and begin tearing down the walls I had built to protect myself. I wanted more. I repeated the retreat and eventually inquired about training with one of the facilitators. Six months later, I was enrolled in school.
I’ve been fortunate to study with incredible teachers at the Institute of Core Energetics and to learn from gifted facilitators and instructors at respected spiritual centers and institutions, including the Esalen Institute in California, Omega, Easton Mountain, Shalom Mountain in New York, Kirkwood Retreat Center in Pennsylvania, and the Life Coach Training Institute in San Diego. My training also includes specialized work with couples through Imago Relationship Therapy, the Gottman Method, and Exceptional Relationships, with programs and intensives held in San Diego, Asheville, Costa Rica, Pittsburgh, and Austin. In addition, I have received excellent teaching in energy work from Chagrin Valley Wellness Center, University Hospitals, Ursuline College and the AUM Center of Chicago.
Today, I feel honored to bring this transformative work to the Cleveland, Ohio area through my private practice—Energetic Awakenings and Heart to Heart Couples Counseling. Many of my clients reach out to me with words like these:
Do any of those statements sound familiar? If so, I can help. I provide clients with a safe and supportive space to explore what they truly want from life. Together, we uncover negative patterns and blocks that prevent them from stepping fully into the life they long to live.
Clients who work with me embark on a journey of personal transformation. Many share that they learn to:
In addition to my private practice, I am also a speaker, trainer, and facilitator, dedicated to helping individuals and organizations grow through meaningful conversation and experiential learning. Whether leading workshops, facilitating retreats, or speaking at conferences, my goal is always the same: to create a space where people feel both safe and challenged to stretch into new possibilities.
I bring the same body-based, heart-centered approach from my therapy practice into my speaking and training. My sessions are interactive, engaging, and practical—participants leave not just inspired, but equipped with tools they can immediately apply to their own lives and workplaces. From guiding leadership teams through conflict, to helping organizations strengthen collaboration, to training individuals in presence and authentic communication, I am passionate about fostering connection and transformation.
At the core of my work is the belief that every voice matters. As a facilitator, I draw out the wisdom already present in the room, helping groups clarify vision, embrace diversity, and build stronger, healthier communities. Whether in front of an audience of hundreds or in an intimate circle of leaders, I strive to spark dialogue that leads to real, lasting change.
