About me and how I practice

My approach to therapy is foremost client-centered, because I believe making a personal connection is the foundation in facilitating healing, allowing clients the safe space needed to tell their story.  I think about the effect of therapy on clients' relationships because the work of therapy has to also work in life outside of our sessions.  I work collaboratively with clients to uncover protective emotions and their goals for our time together.  I also have a passion for work with grief and loss.  I believe in a whole-person approach to therapy and life, and strive to help my clients achieve balance and build resiliency in facing shame.  

Picking just a few words to describe myself, my choices and reasoning follow.  

• Reflective: I think through things very carefully, whether it has to do with my own life or others.  

• Insightful: I like making connections and seeing how it all fits together.  

• Authentic: Being fake is lame.  I've taught middle school and having now survived it twice has taught me that offering who I truly am is the most effective way to navigate life.  

• Humorous: to quote Reader's Digest, Laughter is the best medicine.  

I've added a few quotes throughout this site that have been meaningful to me and capture how I see my work as a therapist, as well as my role as a human being.  Joan Rivers is not someone I would have expected to quote, but I love her reframe of how we get through tough times.  Jack Kornfield is ever on my to-read list - I'll get to his work one of these days.  And Brené Brown's work and research into shame and vulnerability has been instrumental in my personal and professional life.  

About me - I am a Colorado native and love hiking in the Rockies with my partner and dog.  I've spent significant time in the midwest, and currently live in the San Diego area where the hikes have turned into walks on beach.  Not a bad evolution, in my book.