ABOUT
For over 27 years I have helped individuals and couples build satisfying relationships and healthier lifestyles.
I have a direct solution-focused approach that gives clients results in a short period of time.
My experience enables me to quickly assess the underlying issues and equip clients with tools that help them achieve the change they want.
I work with individuals, couples, and families. My specialties are working with anxiety and relational issues. At least half of my practice is comprised of couples, and one of my strongest skills is helping couples improve how they communicate and parent.
My psychotherapy training in the San Francisco Bay Area gave me the opportunity to learn from top experts in the field and work with an ethnically, economically, and sexually diverse population.
I was a staff psychotherapist at Family Service Agency before opening private practice offices both in Marin and San Francisco.
My family relocated to Santa Barbara in 2000, and I have been working here in private practice since.
Over the years, I have acquired a number of effective approaches to help clients with their issues.
Two of the most effective are from the works of Byron Katie and Marshall Rosenberg. I also commonly utilize tools from John & Julie Gottman and Brené Brown.
Many are confused by the difference between the titles Marriage & Family Therapist (MFT), Marriage Counselor,
Psychologist, Psychotherapist and Psychiatrist. Psychiatrists are medical doctors and primarily manage medication.
All the rest do essentially the same work – we are all psychotherapists.
The difference in title indicates the type of license we are practicing under and the degree we have.
A good therapist is not measured by title, but by skill set and effectiveness.
Psychotherapists all have different styles.
The iconic therapist is one who sits back and listens, without offering advice, expecting that the client will realize on
their own what they need to change. I have had many clients tell me that their previous psychotherapy experiences were like
this and not helpful – that they didn’t come away with any ideas about how to do things differently. My experience is that
clients are looking for direct help and guidance. My style is to be very active and work collaboratively with my clients.
I give lots of feedback and offer many different tools and techniques for my clients to practice on their own.
Specialties
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