I love my job, and clients describe me as calm, warm, engaged and empathic. I admire the courage of those who choose to come to therapy, and I have seen that courage pay off in overcoming obstacles and actively setting new habits for living fully and joyfully. Why not get some help in figuring out who you are and what you want in this life?

I was trained in insight-oriented, long-term therapy. That means we will work to understand what is underneath your emotions and why you developed your particular ways of managing those emotions. I especially enjoy "helping the helpers," i.e. working with clergy, doctors, nurses, counselors and first responders on easing burnout.

I chose Psychology as my undergraduate major at Stanford University (class of 1985) because I was fascinated by the study  of human thoughts, emotions, and behavior. I had the great pleasure of working with Phillip Zimbardo (Stanford Prison Study) on a Senior Honors thesis on the variability of time perception in creative endeavors. I continue to believe that psychology tops the list for riveting study and discussion, and I loved school. 

I received my Master’s degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Washington in 1988, and I worked at the Bellevue Police Department for a first ‘real’ job coordinating a Domestic Violence diversion/treatment program. 

Finally, I received a Master’s and a Doctorate (PhD) in Clinical and Community Psychology from DePaul University in Chicago, IL (1993). My year-long internship was at Ravenswood Hospital and Community Mental Health Center in Chicago where I saw individuals (children and adults), couples, and families. 

After several years of raising three wonderful daughters, I returned to Western Psychological and Counseling Center to engage full-time in a psychotherapy practice and supervision. I again worked with adults and families struggling with a huge range of issues.
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For two years, I was an adjunct professor at George Fox University for graduate students in their counseling programs. I taught ‘Interpersonal Neurobiology’ which is the study of  what happens to our brains in relationships.  

Eventually, I became known for being able to help women and men who were seeking more insight and healing for long-standing attachment trauma. For instance, people who struggled in their romantic relationships due to a lack of attunement from their early caregivers — they weren’t able to understand their own feelings and needs because no one had ever helped them to identify what they were feeling. I acted as an emotional mirror held toward them so that they could understand how they show up in the world.

Moving to Idaho a few years ago to be close to grandkids offered me the chance to open a private practice. Because I no longer take insurance, I am thrilled to be able to flex to meet the needs of my clients — often, people seeking to work on issues that may not meet criteria for a mental health diagnosis necessary for insurance reimbursement.