About Me |
Since I was young I have been devoted to working with people. In college, I found myself drawn to study the way people connect and have been exploring this connection ever since. My own struggles and healing led me to devote myself to the deep listening of others as a childcare provider, mother, teacher, and therapist. I am a now Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and have worked in the mental health field for 18 years. I hold a Masters degree in psychology, with a focus in Somatics, from the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. My clinical roles have included hospital chaplain, therapist for individuals and families, group facilitator of parenting support groups, leader of workshops for infant sleep, and hotline counselor to children, teens, adults, parents, and families. My clientele is culturally and economically diverse; and as I am committed to respect and acceptance, I welcome clients from all backgrounds. I have worked with clients experiencing depression, anxiety, Domestic Violence, loss, divorce, trauma, pregnancy and postpartum struggles, parenthood, and life transitions.
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My style |
You will find me to be an empathic, engaged therapist, providing reflective support and structure to your growth and to that of your family. A balance of nurturance and respectful challenge characterize my approach. I also find that playfulness helps remind us of the joy that we are ultimately seeking, while bringing a welcome lightness.
Based in psychodynamic psychotherapy, my practice integrates multiple theories and orientations to fit the individual needs and situations of my clients. I draw from family systems and attachment theory and I use techniques of play and art therapy as applicable. An awareness of the person as a whole of interconnected parts – body, mind, and heart – was a significant part of my education and serves as an underlying framework for my work. This means that as we sit together and explore what you are experiencing, we will look at thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations. When appropriate, I incorporate body-centered mindfulness techniques, breath work, and yoga into my sessions - in addition to being a therapist I am a certified Child and Family Yoga teacher. I am formally trained in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) a method for reducing and managing distress, understanding and regulating emotion, and communicating and relating effectively. DBT offers a mindfulness practice that helps us create awareness of our feelings and behaviors and consciousness to either accept our situation or actively change it. Additionally, I am trained in attachment-focused EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), a powerful and evidence-based trauma treatment. I act as a guide, supporting my clients through the processing and releasing of emotions and experiences that lie trapped in the mind and body. With the use of bilateral stimulation, people can be freed from haunting images, body sensations, paralyzing emotions, and limiting beliefs. AF-EMDR has been proven to effectively help individuals heal from both major and minor traumas within a therapeutic relationship that is client specific. Above all, my work is collaborative. We will jointly establish the environment, pace, and tools that will provide you with the self-understanding you desire. |
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CREDENTIALS |
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), State of California, License Number 88529
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), State of California, License Number 0717001804 Perinatal Mental Health Certification (PMH-C), Postpartum Support International |
education |
Masters of Arts - Counseling Psychology, concentration in Somatics from
The California Institute of Integral Studies, San Francisco Ca Bachelors of Arts - Religious Studies from The University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA |
Post Graduate
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Foundational Dialectical Behavior Therapy with Behavioral Tech, LLC 2013
Perinatal Mental Health & Mood Disorders: Components of Care with Postpartum Support International 2016 Advanced Perinatal Mental Health Psychotherapy with Postpartum Support International 2023 EMDR Basic Training, Parts 1, 2, &3 with the Parnell Institute 2017-2021 |
Professional
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California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT)
Member Since: 2012 – present East Bay chapter of CAMFT Member since 2015 - present Postpartum Support International (PSI) Member since 2016 |