I am a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor in California. After more than 30 years as an educator, minister, counselor, and consultant; I realized that the one thing I am most passionate about is working one-on-one with others – watching them discover clarity, restoration, hope, and passion. Psychotherapy is the single endeavor where I get to bring all that I am to all that I do.
It is critical that we both understand that my goal is to simply help you achieve yours. Our course of treatment is established on your values and vision of your best self. I'm on your agenda. You are not on mine. In order for me to best serve you, I need to do my best to understand you. I want to see, hear, and know you as best as I possibly can. Our first session is all about establishing safety, trust, then understanding.
A former tenured professor of clinical and organizational psychology at Vanguard University, I taught graduate courses such as Psychosocial Stressors and Mental Health; Clinical Foundations; Professional Skills in Clinical Practice; Psychology, Theology, and Spirituality; Career Development; Behavior and Psychology in Organizations, and Psychology of Leadership and Motivation. I also taught graduate psychology courses for Pepperdine University and occasionally still teach Career and Lifestyle Development; Theories of Counseling; Methods and Practice of Research Evaluation for Concordia University's Townsend Institute for Leadership and Counseling.
I help clients discover their cognitive distortions, which disempower their thinking, feelings, behaviors, and negatively impact their relations with others.
Utilizing inherent strengths (unnoticed and/or forgotten), clients can often discover solutions to life's difficulties based on their own unique experience-based strengths and internal motivations.
If I simply give advice (telling you what I think you should do) I am likely disempowering you - which creates self-doubt and often reinforces perceived helplessness. Working collaboratively, you can discover your strengths and personal sense of agency, empowering you to thrive.