Meet Jose: Founder, Lead Clinician, and the Vision Behind Grey Matter

At the heart of Grey Matter Counseling & Consulting is a belief in understanding and supporting the whole person. For Jose, that belief comes from his own lived experience. “I know what it’s like to think something’s wrong, but not know what’s wrong. How nice it is to find someone who understands you, who gets you,” he says. That perspective shapes not only how he works with his clients, but also the culture and values of Grey Matter. 

From the beginning, Jose envisioned a practice where people feel seen, validated, and supported as whole individuals, not just as a diagnosis or a problem to fix. This vision led him to intentionally build a holistic care model. In addition to therapy services, Grey Matter offers sessions with an in-house massage therapist and functional nutritionist, recognizing the deep connection between mental health, the body, and overall well-being. 

Jose’s Unique Path 

Jose’s career path has been anything but linear, and that diversity of experience deeply informs his work as a therapist and practice owner. He began his career running his own photography business before transitioning into marketing, podcasting, teaching, nonprofit work, and eventually working for Maryland’s Department of Health in Peer Recovery. “I’ve always liked helping people. I’ve always liked solving problems,” Jose reflects. Each role strengthened his ability to connect with others, communicate effectively, and understand people from many walks of life. 

During this time he also earned his Master of Business Administration from Iona University, gaining the leadership and operational skills that later supported him in thoughtfully building his own practice. 

Discovering His Calling 

It was through hosting a podcast that Jose realized he wanted to become a therapist. “I loved sitting with people and having deep conversations.” Rooted in curiosity and trust, those conversations became the foundation for his transition into clinical work and continue to inform how he shows up with clients today. 

Jose built on these experiences through his education and training in clinical mental health counseling at Northwestern University. Today, his work at Grey Matter is guided by a holistic, human-centered approach that integrates evidence-based therapy with innovative treatments like Ketamine-Assisted Psychotherapy (KAP). He specializes in KAP, which he views as a powerful tool for clients who feel stuck or have not found relief through traditional talk therapy alone. 

Supporting Clients and Future Clinicians 

In addition to his clinical work, Jose is a Maryland Board Approved Supervisor, where he is passionate about helping train, guide, and support counselors-in-training as they develop their clinical identity and confidence. Becoming a supervisor was a natural extension of his commitment to helping people, ensuring not only that clients are supported, but that the next generation of clinicians is as well.

His hope for clients is simple, “I hope that when clients first meet me, they feel a little at ease and they feel understood, validated, and heard.” At Grey Matter, that intention extends beyond the therapy room, creating a collaborative environment where both clients and clinicians are holistically supported. 

Interested in working with Jose? You can book a free consultation to see if you and Jose are a good fit.