The client’s work in therapy is to bloom.  The therapist’s work is to, alongside of the client,  identify  what impedes blooming and to nurture the blooming.

Every person is unique with distinctive personality, passions and gifts.  Therapy is a process of self-discovery and nurture which helps individuals to become their best and true selves.  Just as people are unique, the right therapy must be customized to fit the adolescent, adult, couple or family seeking treatment.  As a Marriage and Family Therapist I listen attentively to my clients and identify the best therapeutic tools to assist them to grow and bloom and to bring healing to areas that are causing distress in their lives.

• Bilingual (Spanish) and Multicultural: Frequently of tremendous help in understanding a client’s family dynamics and worldview  is being familiar with the client’s cultural heritage.  I have lived in Latin America for 15 years, in Asia (Singapore), the Middle East (Lebanon) and in Europe as well as have traveled extensively.  I consider myself a global citizen who deeply enjoys and respects cultural differences and values.
• Family Therapy: Including several members of a family in therapy has many advantages.  For starters, meeting the family members even just once allows me to enter into the client’s world with much deeper understanding  having witnessed their personalities and ways of relating.   Secondly, it helps me to see the family or couple issues through various perspectives instead of relying on just one person’s interpretation of the situation.  And thirdly family therapy promotes healing for the entire family.
• Child and Adolescent Therapy: I have worked extensively with minors many of which have suffered sexual abuse, divorce and other traumas.  Therapy with adolescents has also frequently focused on depression, anxiety, self-esteem issues and how to succeed in their role as students.  I utilize play and art therapy, games, books and journaling to encourage clients to express themselves.  Given that parental involvement is vital to supporting a child’s emotional health, I encourage family sessions alongside of sessions with the minors.
• Individual Therapy and Depression:  With each individual I seek to identify their personality type utilizing primarily the Enneagram.  Whether an individual is hoping for relief from depression, anxiety, grief, alienation for a variety of reasons such as chronic illness,  infertility, marital and family conflict, and other life stressors, we focus on identifying the clients strengths and passions thus building self-confidence and self-awareness.
• Couples Therapy: A successful marriage takes a tremendous amount of effort.  Part of the work is identifying the pre-relationship baggage that each brings into the marriage causing spouses to rewound each other.  I utilize much of Hendrix’s Imago model of couple’s therapy.
• Victims of Crime and Trauma: As well as my work with minors who have been abused, I also work with survivors of domestic violence, battery, homicide and other crimes.  I am familiar with the court process that these victims must endure on top of the healing from the actual crime.
• Spiritual Direction:  Reflecting on existential issues such as our purpose in life and our spiritual beliefs can give individuals strength, meaning and direction for their journeys.  While having roots in three Christian traditions (Protestant, Catholic and Episcopalian) , I also am embracing of other faith traditions and those of no faith.  Everyone’s spiritual journey is unique to them.
• Crisis Debriefing:  I go out to companies on an on-call basis after a crisis (usually a death on site) to debrief employees and advise management on how to best support their staff.
• Supervision of Counseling Interns: Over the past 10 years I have supervised approximately 50 counseling interns in a practicum experience.
• EMDR:   I have been trained in EMDR therapy which addresses unconscious root beliefs, body sensations and emotions that keep individuals stuck and unable to grow.

I am not the right therapist for you:  if you are seeking help primarily for substance abuse, severe mental illness such as schizophrenia, or life threatening issues as serious eating disorders. I will try to refer you to someone who will be a better fit with more expertise in these arenas.