My Approach to Helping

I am a warm and interactive therapist. I specialize in therapy for families, adolescents and adults in transition. My work centers on the belief that everyone has the ability to live in a meaningful way. I encourage clients- individuals and families alike- to access their strengths as a way to build upon them. I teach coping and communication communication skills, offer mediation, crisis intervention and provide a safe space to process challenges. Together with my clients I identify behaviors that create change, and those that do not as a way to manage feelings and relationships. When relevant I encourage clients to explore their past and create a new relationship to their history.
My work takes many forms and I strive to use creative and effective interventions. I look though the lens of attachment and family systems theory. I have a large amount of experience with crisis assessment and intervention. I enjoy working in collaboration with schools, parents, medical doctors and other collateral resources.

More Info About My Practice

I offer a sliding scale as needed. Blue Cross of California accepted.

What I Love about Being a Psychotherapist

As a therapist I act as a guide, hold a ray of light and offer encouragement to people on their journey towards connection, growth and clarity. I enjoy rolling up my sleeves and working with families to see one another with respect and communicate from a place of balance and love. I provide the scaffolding, support and guidance to clients. I love to play the diverse roles inherent in my work- witness, teacher, advocate, student, expert and supporter. The ever changing needs of clients and the importance of these needs inspires me to meet them. I enjoy approaching the lives of others with care and respect as a way to foster new perspectives and behavior. I am passionate about mental health because emotional suffering is so very painful and can often be alleviated. Small shifts brought about through good psychotherapy will enhance relationships to self and other and allow people to find meaning in internal and external events sometimes difficult to understand.

Why Going to Therapy Does Not Mean You are Weak or Flawed

The act of reaching out to ask for help is one which requires strength. It takes curiosity and courage to participate in therapy. Courage to face our conflicts, pain and uncertainty, and curiosity to engage in meaningful discourse about one-self and relationships.
In my work I like to counter feelings of weakness or damage by recognizing the strength inherent in each of us. I see power and strength in even the most lost, depressed and angry. From this place we are able to walk towards strength and re-build the foundation on which we stand. By seeing clients as the expert of their own experience I can begin to better support their path to more meaningful, healthy and connected ways of participating with the world.