I began working in the mental health field in 1988 when I started teaching independent living skills at a community mental health center in Seattle.  After settling into the job, I realized how much I enjoyed working in mental health. I have worked as a Case Manager, Mental Health Counselor, Mental Health Specialist, Mental Health Therapist, Staff Therapist, Team Lead and Clinical Director.

After 15 years in community mental health, I moved to full-time private practice in 2003.  I have been interested in how we divert ourselves away from intense feelings, uncomfortable thoughts and difficult relational interactions.  For several years now, I have been studying the nuances of emotional and relational skill development.

I am acutely aware of the multiple aspects of communication:  facial gestures, volume of voice, tone of voice, language, words, posture, thinking patterns, etc.  I like to develop understandings of these processes when I work with individuals and couples by formulating hypotheses of what I think might be going on.  When we discuss these ideas, we can begin to pinpoint the emotional, relational and psychological issues we are addressing.

I began advanced training in group psychotherapy in 2006 by enrolling in the Weekend Training Program at the Center for Group Studies in New York and I completed the certificate program at the Center in 2011.  I am currently working on program development for the Center’s international program.  I have trained group therapists in the United States, Russia and Spain.

Group Credentials:

Certificate of Modern Group Leadership, 2011
Center for Group Studies, New York

Certified Group Psychotherapist, 2009
National Registry of Certified Group Psychotherapists, New York

Education:

M.A., Bastyr University, Applied Behavioral Science, 1998

Diploma Certificado, Curso General de Lengua y Cultura Españolas
Universidad Complutense de Madrid, 1994

B.A., University of Notre Dame, Economics, 1987