Practicing in a therapeutic context for over 20 years, I am passionate in partnering with people to build more satisfying and meaningful relationships with self and others.
My formal training includes earning a Masters of Science in Marriage & Family Therapy at Fuller Theological Seminary and becoming a Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist in California, which emphasizes relationship work as key to growth and change. In addition, I am trained and/or supervised in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR - EMDRIA approved basic trainings, plus advanced trainings), Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy (EFT - Core Skills level), Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy (PACT - Level 1), Reflective Practices, Dynamic Emotion-Focused Therapy (DEFT - Level 3), Neuro-Relational Framework, Internal Family Systems (IFS), and Interpersonal Neurobiology, as well as certified in providing Seeking Safety, Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Triple P Parenting, and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy. I have worked in group private practice, psychiatric hospital, church counseling, and community mental health settings.
My specialty areas include trauma work, couples therapy, attachment work, and existential issues. Although much of my training includes cognitive-behavioral and experiential-based practices, I enjoy bringing contemporary psychoanalytic frameworks into my work to make sense of what may block a person's ability to connect. I believe to make significant changes it is important to pair practical interventions with considerations of the developmental, interpersonal, and neurobiological aspects of issues, within the context of a supportive therapeutic relationship. When indicated I seek to collaborate with a variety of health care providers and incorporate spiritual practices to deliver holistic services. You can expect a strengths-based approach and the promotion of attunement and reflection on rising emotional experiences and attachment dynamics to facilitate healing.