Clinical issues/specialties
- Anxiety
- Attachment Trauma
- Betrayal Trauma
- Birth Trauma
- Childhood Trauma
- Complex Trauma
- Developmental Trauma
- Emotional Abuse
- First Responder Trauma
- Grief and Mourning
- Life Transitions
- Medical Trauma
- Pre- and Post-Natal Trauma
- PTSD
- Relational Trauma
- Self Esteem
- Shame
- Relationship Strain
- Religious & Spiritual Trauma
- Vicarious Trauma
Populations served
- Adults (20+)
- Couples
Clinical modalities used with clients
Therapy services location
Hybrid. Offering both in-person sessions in our Berkeley offices and remote telehealth sessions for clients all over California.
Clinical Style
Relational, warm, compassionate, interactive, solution-focused.
License
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist #39839, Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor #660
Degrees
Ryokan College | Bachelors of Arts in Human Behavior | 1990
Ryokan College | Masters in Counseling Psychology | 1992
Advanced Trainings
AF-EMDR (Attachment Focused EMDR) | Parnell Institute with Constance Kaplan, LMFT | 2019
Why I do this work
What draws me to this work is helping people feel better about themselves as they address the obstacles preventing them from living a more fulfilling, balanced, empowered, and values aligned life. My 25 years of extensive training and work history has been strengths based and trauma sensitive. I have worked in private practice, healthcare, hospice, bereavement and management.
I bring a compassionate, wholistic perspective and evidence based care to help integrate the wide range of ways trauma impacts people physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually, and relationally. I work collaboratively trusting in my clients innate sense of knowing and have an abiding respect for each individual’s unique life journey.
I provide both short-term solution-focused therapy, as well as longer term therapy for people dealing with complex problems or symptoms. I have expertise in utilizing EMDR and talk therapy in treating post-traumatic stress, traumatic incidents, trauma related to loss, relational issues, and phobias, as well as helping people move through difficult life transitions.
I am continually in awe of how effective EMDR is in healing the debilitating effects of trauma as it strengthens a person’s intrinsic sense of well being.
The best part of my job
The best part of my job is being inspired by the courage each of my clients has to address and heal from painful life situations. When suffering and fear no longer drive their lives and instead they are enlivened by the felt sense of being comfortable in their own skin, I celebrate along with them.
How I spend my free time
I love listening to music, painting and collaging for the fun of it, meeting up with friends, hiking and being inspired by the beautiful Bay Area views, as well as playing board games, Skip bo or Yahtze with my family.
Favorite quote
“As soon as you trust yourself, you will know how to live.” Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Top personal growth resources
- Tapping In: A Step-by Step Guide to Activating Your Healing Resources Through Bi-lateral Stimulation by Laurel Parnell, PhD
- The Body Keeps the Score by Besser Van Der Kolk, MD PhD
- The Grieving Brain; the Surprising Science of How We Learn from Love and Loss by Mary-Frances O’Connor, PhD