 
Who I am:
I became a therapist in midlife after a fifteen year career in business. While my own life experience has given me a deep sensitivity to emotional suffering, it has been the process of practicing therapy that taught me what is most helpful in overcoming such distress. In the twelve years that I have practiced psychotherapy I have found that clients have an inherent drive to overcome their problems and when given an emotionally safe environment, they have a remarkable capacity to do so. One of the great pleasures of my work is that I get to witness this process. I particularly enjoy working with individuals, couples and adolescents and have facilitated an ongoing men's support group since 1994. My theoretical orientation is a blend of Emotion Focused Therapy (www.eft.ca), Existential Psychotherapy (www.ehinstitute.org), and Control Mastery (www.controlmastery.org).
My Philosophy:
"I believe that most client's suffering originates from distorted beliefs often developed in childhood. These beliefs are generally outside of the client's awareness and can cause a variety of symptoms including low self esteem, depression, and anxiety. My role is to provide a warm hearted/safe environment where these beliefs can be identified and made "conscious", repeatedly challenged, and ultimately disproved in therapy. When no longer driven by the maladaptive beliefs that create their suffering, clients are free to live more empowered, joyful, and fulfilling lives."
Areas of Interest:
- Men's issues
- Adolescents, Marital/Couples
- Anxiety, Depression
- ACA/Codependency
- Grief and Loss
- Spirituality
Educational Background and Work Experience:
- 12 years experience in individual, couple, and adolescent out patient treatment
- 12 years experience facilitating an ongoing men's psychotherapy group
- 1997 Marriage Family Therapist licensure
- 1994 MA Counseling Psychology, University of San Francisco
- 1978 BS Business, UC Berkeley
- 3 years training with severely emotionally disturbed adolescents at Children's Day Treatment Center, Santa Rosa
- 1 year as a grief counselor at Home Hospice of Santa Rosa
- 1 year training in adult psychotherapy at Sonoma State University Counseling Center
Professional Affiliations:
- San Francisco Psychotherapy Research Group
- California Association for Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT)
- Redwood Empire Chapter of CAMFT
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