Clinical Philosophy

I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor who works in private practice in downtown Everett, WA. I provide services to individuals in Snohomish, King, Skagit, and Island Counties, and, upon occasion, in other areas around the state. I work with people who are looking for ways to find more happiness or contentment within themselves, more connection in their relationships and interactions with others, and a higher level of satisfaction in their lives.

My approach to counseling is strengths-based and tailored to meet the unique needs of each client. Individuals are viewed in the context of the larger system, and the central role that personal and family relationships play in influencing behavior is acknowledged and addressed. Because counseling is tailored for each individual client, you will find personal solutions that will align with your own style and personality. My theoretical orientation combines family systems, feminist, and attachment theories with interpersonal and cognitive-behavioral practicalities.

One of the most important aspects of therapy is the foundation of a safe and trusting relationship. Within this context, clients can learn new skills, challenge old beliefs, and remove barriers that hinder personal growth and development. I believe that you are the best expert on your life, and I view my role as a guide and source of support as you increase self-understanding, insight, and awareness.

Clients are encouraged to set their own goals for therapy, to improve their situations with new skills they learn and insights they gain, and be active participants in their treatment. I collaboratively consider what a successful outcome would look like to the client, what has been tried in the past, and how an individual's thoughts, feelings, behaviors, and experiences influence their current situation, in helping clients craft their individual treatment plans.

While the primary form of treatment involves client-therapist dialogue, other healing modalities may be used or recommended, including the use of art, play, and sandtray.

Clinical Training

I received a Master of Arts in Psychology from Antioch University Seattle, and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Washington. Much of my graduate work focused on women's issues, with a strong emphasis on the physical, emotional, and spiritual transition to motherhood, the experience of birth across diverse cultures, and Perinatal and Postpartum Mood Disorders. My secondary emphasis was on the clinical treatment of children, from infancy to adulthood.

I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with the State of Washington. I am also credentialed as a National Certified Counselor, a Child Mental Health Specialist, and hold a Post-Graduate Certificate in Foster Care and Adoption Therapy from Antioch University Seattle. This program offered intensive training in specialized approaches to working with foster care and adoption issues in therapeutic settings.

In addition to the above, I have received a wide variety of supplemental therapeutic training, including counseling and advocacy for survivors of domestic violence, trauma-focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) components and applications, and in the creative modalities of play therapy, animal-assisted therapy, and horticultural therapy.

Experience

My work as a therapist is guided by over fifteen years of experience, including case management, crisis intervention, advocacy and counseling for adult female survivors of domestic violence and their children, and outpatient therapy for individuals, families, and groups.

My experience has included work with children, women, and men of all ages and from a variety of socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds. I have worked extensively in community mental health settings with high-risk children and families with multi-system involvement.

Professional Memberships and Affiliations

I am a professional or affiliate member of the following organizations:

• American Mental Health Counselors Association
• Association for Play Therapy
• Association for Pre- and Perinatal Psychology and Health
• Attachment Parenting International
• Delta Society
• International Cesarean Awareness Network
• Northwest Association for Postpartum Support
• Pacific Association for Labor Support
• Postpartum Support International
• Postpartum Support International of Washington
• Resolve
• Seattle Counselors Association
• Washington Mental Health Counselors Association

I am the current Vice-Chair for Postpartum Support International of Washington, and Washington State Coordinator for Postpartum Support International. I serve on the Washington State Leadership Advisory Committee for the Speak Up When You're Down Postpartum Depression Awareness Campaign.

I am also involved with ConceivABLE, a local consortium of fertility experts and health care providers dedicated to improving the reproductive potential of individuals through emotional, spiritual, and physical means.