My Approach:

PSYCHOTHERAPY

As a clinical psychologist with 25 years experience, I strive to support my clients in identifying and meeting their goals in order to move beyond obstacles and make desired changes.  I provide a respectful, empathic, supportive therapeutic relationship and space that is responsive to each individual’s needs and goals. It is truly an honor to be a part of the turmoil and the triumph of the journeys my clients travel. TOGETHER we will work to resolve past traumas, change self-defeating behaviors and limiting beliefs and learn new skills in order to create integrated and lasting change.

My approach to psychotherapy is grounded in the belief that every individual has the capacity to heal, create change, and greatly improve their lives. At its core, the goal of psychotherapy is to increase self-awareness and understanding of the influence of the past on present behavior. It provides the opportunity to understand why you are who you are and to learn ways to manage pain and negative reactions that are not serving you well. It is about identifying and opening blocks to feelings of happiness and well-being

Actual traumatic experiences in childhood or adulthood are less important than how we resolve and make sense of those experiences. I work with a variety of issues affecting children, adolescents and adults. My areas of expertise include trauma, grief, loss, anxiety, depression, divorce, intellectual giftedness, academic underachievement and acculturation issues. Another area of specialty and considerable experience is working with our military population, including active duty service members, their families and veterans.

I have training and experience in a number of different psychotherapeutic modalities, such as humanistic (client-centered), psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, play therapy, solution-focused, EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing) and Brainspotting. EMDR and Brainspotting are powerful modalities that work cognitively, physiologically and psychologically to resolve trauma, decrease anxiety and depression by bringing healing deeper into the body where trauma and self-defeating beliefs are held. I tend toward an integrated approach, drawing from aspects of these different modalities and theories.

areas of expertise

  • Trauma and PTSD
  • Anxiety
  • Parenting
  • Depression
  • Grief/Loss
  • Relationship Issues
  • Divorce
  • Intellectual Giftedness
  • Academic Underachievement
  • Physical & Sexual Abuse
  • Women’s Issues
  • Stress Management
  • Acculturation Issues

My Approach:

PARENT COUNSELING & COACHING

As a child psychologist, I have special interest in working with parents of young children, especially children with challenging behaviors or issues. I start with the premise that discipline means guidance not punishment. When parents consistently practice empathy toward a child – that is, they tune in to the way that their child views and feels about her/his world – they help instill a sense of security and an ability to empathize with others later in life.

My approach to parent counseling is rooted in the belief that a deeper understanding of your own life story helps you raise happy, healthy and resilient children. No matter what happens to you in childhood or in life, you never stop growing. Making sense of early life experiences can free parents from patterns of the past.  It is a hopeful message. Neuroscience research absolutely demonstrates that if you take the time to make sense of what happened to you, it frees you to develop your own sense of security and, as a result, raise  happy, healthy, and resilient children.

The following principles from No-Drama Discipline: The Whole-Brain Way To Calm The Chaos And Nurture Your Child’s Developing Mind by Daniel Siegel, M.D. and Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D  are key elements of my parenting approach:

  1. Discipline is essential.
  2. Effective discipline depends on a loving, respectful relationship between adult and child.
  3. The goal of discipline is to teach.
  4. The first step in discipline is to pay attention to a child’s emotions
  5. When children are upset or throwing a fit, that’s when they need us the most.
  6. Sometimes we need to wait until kids are ready to learn.
  7. The way we help them be ready to learn is to connect with them.
  8. After connecting, we redirect.

“Too often we forget that discipline really means to teach, not to punish. A disciple is a student, not a recipient of behavioral consequences.”

Daniel Siegel, M.D.

PLEASE NOTE: Email is not considered a confidential form of communication. No mental health services will be provided over email.