I currently work with adult individuals, families, children and adolescents. My clinical training was completed at the Wright Institute in Berkeley, California (M.A. Counseling Psychology) and I am licensed in the State of California by the Board of Behavioral Sciences as a Marriage and Family Therapist (Lic. No. MFC53140).
My background and training includes intensive experience with children, youth and families–families in crisis as well as those dealing with the normal strains of childhood and adolescence–and in-depth experience with aging adults, especially those impacted by dementia. My training and experience enable me to positively address a range of issues, including:
Productively responding to illness, grief loss
Family and other relationship difficulties
Understanding and coping with aging and caring for aging parents (including responding to dementia)
Depression and anxiety (difficulties with mood)
Professional/career dilemmas
Issues of acculturation and immigration
Working with children and adolescents–and supporting parents during your child’s adolescence
While all of these concerns can seem very different, they all relate to major transitions in the life cycle of the family. I’ve come to understand that receiving respectful, caring, knowledgeable support during family life transitions can make a profound, positive difference. Perhaps you’re new to the challenges of parenting an adolescent, if you or a loved one is coming to grips with illness or you’re caring for an aging parent, you’re likely struggling with balancing increasing demands. The stress of trying to be a good parent, partner or child can be alleviated by our work together.
ABOUT BEGINNING TOGETHER...
What Will Therapy Be Like?
Because each person has different issues and goals for therapy, therapy will be different depending on the individual. In general, you can expect to discuss the current events happening in your life, your personal history relevant to your issue, and report progress (or any new insights gained) from the previous therapy session. Depending on your specific needs, therapy can be short-term, for a specific issue, or longer-term, to deal with more difficult patterns or your desire for more personal development. Either way, it is most common to schedule regular sessions with your therapist (usually weekly).
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It is important to understand that you will get more results from therapy if you actively participate in the process. The ultimate purpose of therapy is to help you bring what you learn in session back into your life. Therefore, beyond the work you do in therapy sessions, your therapist may suggest some things you can do outside of therapy to support your process – such as reading a pertinent book, journaling on specific topics, noting particular behaviors or taking action on your goals. People seeking psychotherapy are ready to make positive changes in their lives, are open to new perspectives and take responsibility for their lives.