James Fortune, LPC
It’s okay for you to be YOU!
Having the support and guidance from a therapist while being present in a space where you can say what you need to say and feel how you need to feel can benefit anyone, even those without severe mental illness.
A friend once told me, “It’s okay for you to be you; it’s ok for me to be me.” These are some of the wisest and most meaningful words I have carried with me through my life, and I offer them to you. Therapy is meant to be a space where you are safe to thrive as your authentic self while I support your growth and healing. If there is no other place in your life in which you can “just be”, let our time together be the safe haven in which you know you are accepted and cared for.
The trust you put in me as your therapist is a great privilege. You deserve a compassionate listener – one that is willing to meet you where you are and guide you toward your goals. My own journey through the challenges of life and struggling with bipolar disorder has ingrained a deep sense of empathy that I pour into my clients while learning about their unique life experiences. It’s not easy to let someone into your world, and I respect and value how meaningful it is when clients do.
I believe every person is special and has unique gifts that can impact the world around you. There is no “one size fits all” approach in the world of therapy and you are worthy of working with someone who will strive to meet your individual needs. Through our time together my goal is for you to find the answers to live your life as your most favorite version of yourself.
The areas I specialize in include working with mood disorders, young adults, parenting support, various life transitions, and I am especially passionate about working with LGBTQIA+ individuals as a non-binary therapist (they/them), most especially with gender identity issues.
I am also passionate about helping individuals going through infertility experiences, as my wife and I experienced this struggle firsthand before we had our child using IVF treatment. I love offering a compassionate approach to these sensitive subjects as individuals navigate their options and explore the complex emotions associated with infertility in therapy.
The evidence-based practices I use include Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy. My approach to therapy is very humanistic and relationship based, with heavy focus on establishing a trusting relationship that creates a safe and welcoming space for clients to express their authentic selves.
With me, you can expect working with a compassionate listener who will meet you where you are, and value and appreciate you for the unique and special human being that you are. Our work will be specifically designed for you, and adapted to whichever way will best accomplish your therapeutic goals. Trust is paramount in our work, and I will do everything possible to earn and keep your trust, with the belief that a strong relationship between therapist and client built on trust leads to the best outcomes in therapy.
Ultimately, this is about your health, happiness, and success, and together we can partner to get you where you want to go.
EDUCATION
- MA, Oakland University
- MLA, University of Pennsylvania
- BA, College of the Holy Cross
WORKS WITH
- Young Adults
- Adults
TYPES OF THERAPY
- Person Centered Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Motivational Interviewing
- Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy
When starting therapy, it’s okay to be nervous, that is valid and welcome here. Please know you will be loved, cared for, and listened to in our work together. We can take it one step at a time and go at your own pace. I want you to feel in control, knowing that you are the expert on your feelings and I’m here to follow your lead while offering gentle guidance and support. However you feel, however you show up in session, it’s okay and those feelings will be honored without any judgment. Therapy is a place of acceptance, where you are free to be completely authentic.
In my own life, I was blessed with an incredible amount of support and resources to help me through my darkest days battling bipolar disorder. I understand what you might be feeling because I know firsthand that thoughts and feeling are complex entities and can be difficult to understand and process on our own. I’m still experiencing the benefits of therapy myself for more than 20 years now, meaning I’m still working to grow and heal just like anyone else, and I will always bring a deep sense of compassion and empathy into my work with clients because I have been where you are. Deciding to become a mental health professional and paying it forward to be there for others going through their own unique challenges was the best thing I could ever do with my life.
It’s an immense honor to journey together with clients and be let into the most personal and most vulnerable parts of their lives. I’m grateful for those who are willing to put their trust in me as their therapist and greatly admire anyone who is willing to do the heavy lifting of therapy. Watching clients evolve, grow, and heal over time is such a joy to watch and be a part of.
FAVORITE SELF-CARE
Running, nature walks. pet therapy, meditation, quiet time, weighted blanket, scented candles, calming stones, noise-canceling earbuds.
FUN FACTS
- Prior to getting into mental health, I worked in sports video for 7 years including working for Holy Cross, the University of Pennsylvania, 2 summers interning with the Detroit Lions, and was employed by Bon Jovi’s Philadelphia Soul. In 2003, I was on staff with the 2003 Ivy League champion Penn Quaker football team.
- I am scared of heights, but once went skydiving in Maine.
- I have 2 cats – Violet and Shaggy.
- I am huge Detroit Lions and Michigan Wolverines fan, and additionally love basketball and wrestling.
- My favorite vacation place is Petoskey, Michigan.
LIFE MOTTOS
“Don’t judge each day by the harvest you reap, but by the seeds that you plant.”
-Robert Louis Stevenson
“You do not become good by trying to be good, but by finding the goodness that is already within you, and allowing that goodness to emerge.”
-Eckhart Tolle
