I am a licensed psychotherapist specializing in working with individuals, couples and families coping with a wide variety of issues. I do have particular experience in working with those impacted by life changing diagnoses.
- cancer at every phase from diagnosis to long term survival, post-cancer coping
- chronic illness
- grief and loss
- infertility, fertility treatments and impact on couples and individual
- genetic conditions
- “stage of life” specific health issues: aging, and parenting
I have a 20+ year career in healthcare, most recently helping to develop the psycho oncology clinic at the Stanford Cancer Center. There, I maintain a busy practice providing a range of mental health services to cancer patients and their families. I have also worked in community health with mentally ill older adults, in women's health and in hospice and home based care.
In my private practice, I enjoy being able to focus solely on practicing therapy as an LMFT. I am described by my clients as practical, compassionate, and effective. I utilize evidence-based approaches but with flexibility, humor and most of all a collaborative and interactive style. I do not prescribe or provide any medical care in my private practice but am skilled at communicating with and working with medical providers if needed.
Education - I graduated summa cum laude from UC Berkeley with an undergraduate degree in Anthropology. I trained as a nurse and nurse practitioner and received my Master’s in Science at UCSF. I got a second Master's degree in clinical counseling at the Wright Institute in Berkeley.
Post Graduate Training -I've been very lucky to get extensive post-graduate training in CBT, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction and MBCT, as well as Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy with several researchers and leaders in these fields.
As a therapist, I am a member of the following professional groups:
The California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
The International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy
The American Psycho Oncology Society.