Welcome

I treat adults, children, adolescents and their families in my practice. Examples of issues I address include depression, anxiety, learning and behavioral challenges, bullying and conflict with peers, divorce, step-families, death of a parent or sibling, sexual, emotional or physical abuse, school refusal, school phobia, self-harming behaviors, and identity issues.

My theoretical orientation is eclectic: I use interventions from several modalities that best fit the presenting problem. The goal of therapy is to strengthen clients' sense of self so that their innate and natural inclination for healthy development is back on track.

Many of the interventions I use are experiential in nature and draw from the work of Dr. Violet Oaklander, which is Gestalt in orientation. I have been trained by Dr. Oaklander and her colleagues at The Violet Solomon Oaklander Foundation for many years. My first priority is placed on establishing an authentic relationship with my client. Once this has begun, I work with various activities such as drawing, writing, working with clay, collage, puppets, dramatic play, music, metaphors, dreams, and sand tray, for example, in order to meet the treatment goals.

Research has shown that mindfulness practices are powerful tools that enhance one’s sense of well-being. As part of my work as an elementary school counselor, I receive ongoing training from Kelly Barron, Certified Mindfulness Facilitator, UCLA. In addition, I have completed Susan Kaiser Greenland’s Inner Kids Facilitator 1 training. I use mindfulness frequently in my work with children, adolescents and families. I find that children take naturally to mindfulness concepts and use them readily for self-regulation while enjoying and having fun with the activities.

Children are a part of larger systems such as their families, culture and schools. I also use a family systems approach in order to best understand the presenting problem and to design a treatment plan. Additionally, I am actively involved in multicultural and diversity awareness and use this information to inform my work with clients.

Finally, I also often use cognitive behavioral interventions for issues such as anxiety and worry, sleep issues, negative thinking, bad habits, and anger.