My Approach to Helping
When life gives you lemons ... what do you do? Whether you believe we choose our own circumstances, that there is a master plan, or that sometimes stuff happens, you still have reactions, feelings, and decisions to make about "what next?" I trust and respect your ability to make good choices and decisions, when you are able to pay attention to your inner voice, your sense of who you are at the core. I will help you discover, re-discover, or create your true self, so that problems in your life become opportunities for growth. I sometimes conduct sessions that are not framed by the clock, working with individuals or couples until a natural stopping point. This flexible scheduling allows for resolution and re-direction in a more time-friendly manner. I help couples learn to value and appreciate the differences that have been driving them apart, and to regain the loving feelings that brought them together. I help those with a medical condition deal with the anger, depression, frustration, and other feelings that are associated with illness, and I also provide a safe place for their family members or significant others to deal with their own feelings and concerns. My therapy dog, Archie, is a hypoallergenic sweet little guy who loves to be in sessions. I am no longer on any insurance panels. If you wish, I provide statements for you to submit to your insurance company for reimbursement of a percentage of fees.
More Info About My Practice
I hold a doctoral degree in Counseling Psychology Existential Psychotherapy from USC, and have also trained with some of the best in the fields of relationships, emotional intelligence, neurobiology, trauma, humanistic psychology, mindbody psychotherapy, Buddhist mindfulness meditation, EMDR, and other leading edge areas. I hold several teaching credentials and have many years of experience with learners of all ages, from infants to adults, and am expert in designing interventions that meet your personal learning styles. As Mental Health Editor of Helpguide, the award-winning, commercial-free website, I have written andor edited more than 60 mental health articles on a variety of topics. I am co-author of The Language of Emotional Intelligence (McGraw-Hill, 2008). Working through my own painful losses and life experiences (including developing a chronic medical condition) combined with 30 years experience helping others, I am uniquely qualified to assist you with your life issues.
Specific Issue(s) I'm Skilled at Helping With
I have developed a specific expertise in helping people deal with medical issues (their own, or those in a family member or friend). I am one of very few therapists currently addressing Tinnitus and Misophonia, as well as other chronic conditions. I came about this, as therapists often do, because of my own life experience. After 20 years of being a therapist, I developed a rare condition that took almost a year to correctly diagnose. On the way, I saw several different kinds of doctors (traditional and alternative) and received a long list of treatments, none of which addressed the problem. As a result of this personal situation, I realized that I could be helpful to others with similar experiences with their own conditions and the emotional roller coaster that we all ride: fear, anger, frustration, despair, guilt, etc.
