Clinical Philosophy

I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with a private psychotherapy practice in Mukilteo, Washington. I provide services to individuals in the Seattle/Puget Sound Region, including Snohomish, King, Skagit, Whatcom, and Island Counties. 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 philosophy towards helping people achieve perceived change is client-centered and built upon collaboration, cooperation, and a deep respect for the client's own resources and abilities to arrive at solutions to problems and challenges. Acknowledging the uniqueness of each individual, I combine a variety of approaches to assist clients as they work to reach their own personal growth goals. Personal growth goals are those ongoing and evolving goals which the client chooses to pursue in addressing a self-identified problem or issue which they are facing. My style of working has been shaped by cognitive-behavioral theory, family systems theory, pre- and perinatal psychology, mindfulness based approaches, and feminist perspectives.

I tend to be fairly active in therapy, and will be involved in working with you, providing information, guidance, and support. I ask questions, offer observations, and look for patterns in the aspects of your life that you share with me. I will, however, greatly rely on you to set the direction for therapy, as I believe you are the final expert on your life, and I place considerable trust in your unique healing process.

Clinical Training

I received a Master of Arts in Psychology from Antioch University Seattle, and a Bachelor of Science in Psychology, from the University of Washington, graduating summa cum laude. Much of my Masters 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. Additionally, I have completed doctoral level courses in Clinical Psychology, with a Pre- and Perinatal Specialty, at Santa Barbara Graduate Institute.

I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with the State of Washington. I am also credentialed as a National Certified Counselor, a Diplomate of the American Psychotherapy Association, a Board Certified Professional Counselor, a Child Mental Health Specialist, and hold a Post-Graduate Certificate in Foster Care and Adoption Therapy from Antioch University Seattle.

Enhancing my work as a therapist, I am both a HypnoBirthing® Childbirth and HypnoBirthing® Fertility Educator, a HypnoMothering Practitioner, and a Gottman Bringing Baby Home Educator. I have also completed training in Birth Story Listening (Birthing From Within).

In addition to the above, I have received a wide variety of supplemental therapeutic training, including Trauma-Focused Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy, the practice and application of mindfulness based interventions, nutritional and integrative medicine for mental health, and in the creative modalities of animal-assisted therapy and horticultural therapy.

Experience

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

While my private practice is now tailored to the clinical treatment of individual adults, I have an extensive background providing counseling in community mental health settings with high-risk children and families with multi-system involvement. This included building therapeutic relationships with children, women, and men of all ages, and from a variety of cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds.

I have previously served as both the Vice-Chair and as an Advisory Committee Member for Perinatal Support Washington, (formerly known as Postpartum Support International of Washington), and on the Washington State Leadership Advisory Committee for the Speak Up When You're Down Postpartum Depression Awareness Campaign.

Professional Memberships and Affiliations

• American Mental Health Counselors Association
• American Psychotherapy Association
• Association for Pre- and Perinatal Psychology and Health
• HypnoBirthing® Institute
• The Gottman Institute; Gottman Bringing Baby Home Educator
• National Board for Certified Counselors
• Perinatal Support Washington
• Postpartum Support International
• Washington Mental Health Counselors Association