about

About Me

I love connecting with people at a deep level. And I feel it’s an honor to walk alongside people in their journey of growth and healing. I’m curious, attentive and affirming. I’ve had a lot of challenges in my life, and I know what it’s like to do the hard work to heal past trauma. So I naturally bring high levels of empathy and compassion to my clients.

Education and Experience

I received a Bachelor of Arts with a major in psychology from the University of California at Santa Cruz in 1992 and a Master of Social Work from Arizona State University in 1997. I worked in social work, specifically in disability civil rights, for a few years. Then I focused on raising my two children. I was married for 27 years and now I am a single mom of two wonderful young adults.

 

I worked as a coach for quite a few years–first as a financial coach, then as a life coach. I helped people use what they are passionate about to make a difference in the lives of other people and I helped moms stay connected and influential in the lives of their children. I chose to leave life coaching because I wanted to honor the values, ethics and oversight of clinical social work (psychotherapy

 

I’ve been trained in newer forms of therapy, too, including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills and Image Transformation Therapy (ImTT)). As a pre-licensed clinical social worker, I’ve worked in private practice addressing issues such as anxiety and PTSD and I’ve worked as a substance use disorder counselor.

 

I’ve been supporting people in a wide variety of settings and capacities for over 20 years. From instructional aide in special education to sales director in Mary Kay, from mom to life coach, from substance abuse counselor to psychotherapist. It would be my honor to support you in your unique journey now.

Psychotherapy with Me

My therapeutic style integrates:

  • a warm and supportive environment and unconditional positive regard from Person-Centered Therapy
  • the logic of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
  • an appreciation of the impact of childhood experiences from Psychodynamic Therapy
  • emotion regulation,/distress tolerance,  communication and mindfulness skills from Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
  • a gentle way to release intense emotions, heal trauma and overcome addictions through Image Transformation Therapy (ImTT)

There is a lot of healing from sharing. And there is value in the therapeutic interventions I bring. In addition to all that, the therapeutic relationship itself is an invaluable vehicle for conveying powerful and deep lessons learned by experience. Through my relationship with a client, that client may learn, for example, to trust their self, trust someone else, take risks, be valued, feel safe, or rebuild confidence.

Memberships

National Association of Social Workers (NASW)

California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT)

View my Psychology Today profile

Book a Consultation