About Me

My Philosophy

I believe that each person has within themselves a drive towards health and wholeness. Early experiences and dysfunctional beliefs can disrupt and occlude this drive. By identifying and clearing away the dysfunctional patterns, we can strengthen the innate drive towards wholeness.

I also believe that there is no one right way to do life (or therapy). Some people are thinkers, some people are feelers, most of us are a combination of the two. My job is to help you figure out the best way for you to reach your own potential.I have been heavily influenced by Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, and Jungian psychology.

My Style

My style is direct and although I believe you hold the answers yourself, I also don’t hold back when I have feedback or thoughts. I like to create space for your own exploration, but I am not a passive observer. I use humor and common sense when appropriate. I have been heavily involved in recent social justice initiatives and am continually working to lift up people of color and under-served identities, and to acknowledge my white identity, privilege and work to decenter whiteness in therapeutic settings. I am committed to being a safe person to explore issues of identity, particularly LGBTQIA+ identities. I have worked with trans and nonbinary adults and adolescents.

My Education and Experience

I have been licensed as a marriage and family therapist since 2000. I also hold a doctorate in clinical psychology from the California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP, now known as Alliant University). I have interned at Children’s Hospital Oakland and the C.G. Jung Institute of San Francisco, and worked on Berkeley Mental Health’s Mobile Crisis Team for many years. I am currently the Lead Counselor at Cal State East Bay in the health center and supervise associate counselors.

What I Do

I specialize in helping individuals who are suffering from depression or anxiety make concrete changes in their lives, take care of themselves and get around whatever’s blocking them.  For people who are not necessarily depressed or anxious, I coach them to find out how to make positive changes in their thinking and their actions to lead a more successful, more satisfying life.

Although I enjoy having a variety of individuals in my practice, there are a few populations I specialize in:

Teens and Young Adults: I really enjoy working with young adults, from late teens through the twenties. This is such a rich, vibrant but confusing and complicated time of life. I enjoy helping young adults navigate the road to a fulfilling, successful present and future. For high school seniors who are heading off to college, I also work with parents to help their children test out independence with responsibility.

Women in Transition, Pre- and Postpartum and Menopause Issues: As women, our identity goes through so many stages in our lives, from school to career to relationships to motherhood. These transitions are not always easy but no one really tells us how to switch our paths and focus seamlessly. I can help you navigate work-life balance issues, figure out what your values are and how to create a rewarding and fulfilling life that fits your needs. I also have personal and professional experience with postpartum depression and anxiety and can help coach new mothers through the challenging and intimidating first year of their child’s lives. I also have personal and professional experience with middle-life issues in women, and can help you navigate towards the most fulfilling path for you.