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Biographical Info:

As a licensed Marriage & Family Therapist since 1991, I have had the privilege to come alongside my clients in their life challenges and help them grow, heal and move forward in healthier ways. In becoming who we are today, we all have faced difficulties and obstacles because life is hard! Many of us discover in time that we have carried wounds from our past that have caused us to develop unhealthy ways of coping with our pain. These can show up in symptoms like depression, anger, anxiety disorders, addictions, and other compulsive behaviors. The good news is that we can learn to reduce and overcome these symptoms through proven successful approaches based in the latest advances in neuroscience and human development (attachment theory). I enjoy working with both individuals and couples, and love focusing on relationships (from dating through empty nesters and beyond). For couples with marital issues and those thinking about getting married, I am a certified instructor for PREPARE/ENRICH, which is a program used for premarital counseling, marriage counseling and marriage enrichment. The program includes a comprehensive online couple assessment along with feedback using skills-building exercises. I am also trained in the evidence-based Gottman method for marital counseling and improving relationship and communication skills which has been very successful for thousands of couples. My areas of specialty are trauma recovery and PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder), including events involving death, assault, deployment, and accidents. I am trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) and have completed training approved by the EMDR International Association. EMDR is a very effective method for healing traumas of any kind and is also used with correcting negative beliefs (lies) about ourselves that have hindered us from living fulfilled lives. It is wonderful to see concrete results and relief for many of my clients almost immediately. For more information, I encourage you to visit the EMDRIA website at http://www.emdria.org and http://www.emdrinaction.com. My counseling style is real, interactive, strong and grace-giving, sharing who I am with clients appropriately. I use an integrative approach, bringing both my clinical training and seminary training into my therapy, though anyone not seeking this approach will receive my utmost respect and sensitivity to their world view. In addition to my practice, I serve as the Clinical Supervisor at Community Counseling Associates, Former Adjunct Faculty at Western Seminary, and on the Board of Directors for Mission of Grace Foundation. Professional Experience Licensed Psychotherapist in full time private practice since 1992 Supervisor of MFT interns & trainees since 1993 Adjunct Faculty, Western Seminary, 2009 – 2014 Seminar & Workshop Leader with special interest in Developmental and Recovery Issues, Visioning and Defining Your Mission, Practical Faith Specialty Areas Relationship Building, Couples Counseling Recovery & Trauma Issues Stress Reduction Counseling from a Christian World View Training CRM Basic Training EMDR Critical Incident Stress Debriefing

Specialties:

Anxiety, Depression, Grief, Parenting, PTSD, Relationships, Stress, Trauma

I am a California licensed clinical psychologist (PSY 11684) since 1990.  I have a private practice in psychotherapy, consultation and training.  I work with individuals (children, teen and adults), couples, and families.  I have a special interest and expertise in working with anxiety, depression, relational trauma, learning and developmental differences, ADHD, and Autism Spectrum Disorder and Asperger’s Disorder.  I have a special interest and expertise in working with shame and pride in psychotherapy, and have written several articles and done podcasts on this topic.  I am currently working on a book entitled “Pride, Shame and Relational Trauma: Toward an Integrative Approach to Psychotherapy”.  In addition to CRM, I work to integrate a variety of approaches I have had training in over the years.  The approaches I call from these days include CRM, Coherence Therapy, Psychodynamic, Experiential, DNMS, AEDP, EMDR, and Narrative/Solution Focused Therapy.  Humor is an essential aspect of who I am, and I naturally bring it into our work so that the serious work of psychotherapy is not only serious.