I am licensed in California with 34 years of professional work experience. I have experience in helping clients with stress, anxiety, recovery from addictions, relationship issues, trauma, & abuse. I also have experience working with depression and men's issues, including helping men deal with life transitions. I work with my clients to create an open and safe environment where thoughts and feelings can be shared without fear of judgment. It takes courage to seek out a more fulfilling and happier life and to take the first steps towards a change. I am here to support & empower you in that journey.
Our first session is a time for us to get to know each other and begin building a foundation of trust and safety. I understand that starting therapy can feel vulnerable, so we’ll move at a pace that feels comfortable for you. You’ll have the opportunity to share what’s bringing you to therapy, what you hope to work on, and any important background you'd like me to know. There’s no pressure to have everything figured out—we’re simply starting a conversation. I’ll ask some questions to help me better understand your history, current concerns, and goals, but just as importantly, I’ll listen. This session is also a chance for you to get a sense of how I work and to ask any questions you might have about the therapy process. My intention is to create an open, supportive space where you can be yourself without fear of judgment. By the end of our first meeting, we’ll begin to clarify what you want to achieve in therapy, and if it feels like a good fit, we’ll talk about what working together might look like moving forward. This is your journey—and I’m here to support and empower you every step of the way.
What sets my approach apart is the balance I bring between deep compassion and practical support. With over three decades of experience as a licensed therapist in California, I’ve helped many clients navigate a wide range of challenges—from anxiety, stress, and addiction recovery to trauma, relationship struggles, and life transitions. I draw on both client-centered therapy and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), which means I meet you where you are emotionally while also helping you develop clear, effective strategies to move forward. Clients often tell me they appreciate how safe, grounded, and nonjudgmental our work feels—while also feeling empowered to take real, meaningful steps toward change. I believe healing happens when you're genuinely heard and supported, but also when you’re given tools that help you cope and grow in everyday life. Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, stuck, or simply ready for something different, I offer a space where your experience is respected and your goals are central. My role is to walk beside you, helping you identify patterns, build resilience, and create a more fulfilling path forward—with both compassion and direction.
Ideal Client Description: I am best positioned to support adults who are navigating significant life challenges or transitions and are seeking meaningful, lasting change. My ideal clients may be struggling with anxiety, stress, trauma, addiction recovery, or depression, and often find themselves feeling stuck or overwhelmed. I have a particular passion for working with men who are facing personal or professional turning points and want to explore healthier ways of coping, connecting, and moving forward with purpose. Whether you're dealing with the emotional aftermath of past experiences, relationship difficulties, or the pressures of modern life, you don’t have to go through it alone. My ideal clients are ready—or at least willing—to explore their inner world, question unhelpful patterns, and work toward greater clarity, resilience, and fulfillment. I provide a safe, nonjudgmental space where your thoughts and feelings are met with respect, and where personal growth is not only possible but supported every step of the way.
Fundamentally, I use a Rogerian approach, forcusing on empathy building. But I initially assess from a psychodynamic perspective, with an emphasis on attachment. My goals and interventions are primarily CBT, from a Rogerian stance, to understand core wounds and challenge distortions that stem from a schema influenced by self-limiting beliefs. I will integrate Solution-Focuced interventions, Mindfulness and Narrative re-authoring. Overall, I provide a safe holding environment to build rapport and trust, which I believe is the most important first step in therapy.
As an LMFT, I hope to get many family members involved, when appropriate. I assess using a Bowenian Genogram, and a Structural Family Therapy Family Map. My primary treatment draws from Structural, to identify and change the enmeshment and disengagement preventing healthy family dynamics. I prefer experiential interventions to illuminate boundary issues metaphorically. I will provide referrals for individual issues, such as substance abuse. 6-8 sessions of Family Therapy is ideal.