Hello and welcome!

Let me introduce myself… 

I am a mother of four adult children. I have personally experienced the challenges of raising children with special needs and exceptional talents, surviving adolescence, and redefining my marriage after my children left home.  

Because of my love of education and evolution, I have changed the focus of my career as life presents new opportunities and challenges. As an attorney, therapist, and mediator, my professional focus always returned to helping people needing support and understanding to solve life’s challenges. At this stage of my personal development, I am returning my professional focus to therapy, coaching, and training.  

I am interested in your journey and the challenges you face in any stage of life. Raising children, caring for elderly parents, and maintaining close relationships are challenging. Still, you can change dysfunctional communication and behaviors into those that make you feel better about who you are and how you want to be. We will work together on your path to change, acceptance, or letting go of beliefs and behaviors that do not serve you.

The important thing in life is not the destination; it is the journey, the challenges you face along the way, and the disappointments you face and overcome. Let me accompany you (literally, if you like, I also accept clients for therapeutic walk therapy) on your journey to finding peace through personal growth and change. 

My approach to therapy is more than a one-size-fits-all. I believe in crafting a unique blend of therapeutic approaches to cater to the individual needs of my clients and their intimate and family relationships. With years of experience working with people from diverse age groups, cultural backgrounds, and walks of life, I help my clients understand how their daily behaviors can impact their interactions with others. Most importantly, I guide them toward being their authentic selves, improving their relationships through nonviolent communication, healthy boundaries, and finding peace and joy in the present. 

I begin with a Systemic Psychotherapy Approach to explore how your family of origin affects beliefs, practices, and expectations. Awareness of familial habits allows you to choose which to adopt or change. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy can alter dysfunctional thoughts and beliefs that undermine self-confidence and self-esteem. We can change habitual negative thoughts and behaviors to find peace when we understand how our thoughts are linked to our feelings and responding behavior. 

 Our personal histories influence our conscious decisions and unconscious beliefs. Psychodynamic Therapy allows you to explore your personal experiences and traumas to overcome the obstacles to your success and happiness. 

When working with clients as a coach, the focus is more goal-oriented and designed to achieve specific objectives. As an individual coach, I concentrate on helping clients perform better in their personal and professional endeavors. Parental coaching involves strengthening the parental alliance to reduce stress caused by the unique aspects of their child or their parenting situation. In all coaching scenarios, my approach is to provide guidance and support to help clients reach their desired outcomes.  

The process of ending therapy, called “termination,” can be a very valuable part of your treatment. If you wish to stop therapy at any time, I request that you agree now to 1) meet with me for one final session to review our work together and discuss your plans for self-care in the future and 2) answer a brief set of questions about our work together after our last session.

Education: 
Washington School of Professional Psychology/Argosy University, Seattle, Washington, Master’s Clinical Psychology, 2005                     

University of Puget Sound School of Law/ Seattle University School of Law, Tacoma, Washington, Juris Doctorate, May 1981.

Seattle Pacific University, Seattle, Washington, BA, History & Political Science, 1978, cum laude.

License: 
LMHC 60062637