About Me

As I licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I specialize in working with teenagers, young adults and their families to overcome an variety of issues including mood disorders, emotional dysregulation, maladjustment to transitions in life, separation and divorce within the family, social and peer relationships, academic stress, and body image/ self-esteem related issues. In addition to my many years in private practice, I also have my Pupil Personnel Credential and worked for several years as a school counselor in the Conejo Valley and Las Virgenes Unified School Districts. This experience gave me a unique understanding of the pressures students, parents, teachers and school administrators face today. I believe that in helping our youth, not just to survive, but to flourish in these critical years, we have to support the entire system. I very much enjoy working with and supporting parents and extended family members who are struggling to understand, communicate with, and effectively parent their child or teenager.

My goal as a therapist is to combine compassion, understanding, and knowledge with evidenced-based treatment strategies designed, collaboratively, to help my clients meet their individual goals and enjoy more satisfying relationships. My work is primarily influenced by Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Family Systems Theory, and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) Therapy. Over the past few years, I have become particularly passionate about incorporating Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)- Informed interventions and skills training into my work.

Education

California Lutheran University
Masters of Science- Marital and Family Therapy (1998)
Pupil Personnel Credential, School Counseling (2001)

Arizona State University
Bachelor of Arts- Psychology, Family Resources and Human Development (1996)

Professional Organizations

California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT)
Ventura Chapter- CAMFT
American Association for Marriage and Family Therapists