PROFESSIONAL

PROFESSIONAL CONTEXT

I hold an M.A. in Counseling Psychology and am a Licensed Marriage Family and Child Therapist. Whether working with children, young adults, adults or groups I use the principles of Cognitive-Behavioral therapy and Family Dynamics along with ideas from developmental psychology, and depth psychology to guide the work. I usually see children and teens along with their parents.

When parenting skills are the focus, I teach non-manipulative, choice based parenting skills that increase parental authority while nurturing full development in both the parents and their children.

I support those experiencing trauma or crisis to find a new foundation for healing and meaning in their lives within their own strengths and values. Those struggling with mood issues may need the medical support of an ARNP or a psychiatrist and other team members to establish and maintain safety while they are working on learning more effective self-care skills.

Human development works just fine in every culture and faith when (#1) basic human needs are met and (#2) when anxiety decreases. I am dedicated to earning the trust of each person visiting the clinic. I try to listen to each person share their story and use my training and experience to hear your story and notice your strengths. Each person has survived this far in their life because of their strengths. The most effective solution to every problem starts by noticing our physical connections to life.  When we re-orient our ego to our physical self we have a chance to be less anxious and impulsive.  Then we have access to our strengths and wisdom... (which is what actually got us through what we have been through and is the starting place for all additional strength and wisdom)... our plans will begin to work better... and if we keep at it... better and better.  Proper therapy helps remind you that you can do it and helps you practice doing it.

A deepening awareness of human development in the contexts of Family, Culture, Faith, Community, School and Workplace provides information needed to help us notice more and to be more self-honest about our strong and functional plans and also to be more self-self honest about what we keep doing that doesn't work so that our self-care plans can become more and more functional and effective as things change in us and around us. When we improve our self care... anxiety and impulsiveness decrease... then solutions to our most difficult problems begin to  surface. Power struggles take less of our time.

As the solutions begin to surface, small celebrations with every small step taken provide the courage, energy, and motivation to keep at it.