About me...
I have personally experienced how transformational psychotherapy can be, as my own work in therapy has brought about immensely positive changes in my life. Therapy continues to be a way of developing awareness and understanding of myself and how I relate to others and the world around me. It gives me a deeper and more satisfying experience of being alive - where I feel present, spontaneous, and balanced.
Therapy involves a partnership between therapist and client. As your therapist, I will contribute knowledge, skills, experience, and a willingness and determination to do my best. The following details about my educational and professional experiences hopefully shed light on the foundations of my work:
I received my Masters Degree in Social Work (MSW) from UCLA, in May 1997. In addition to the required academic courses, I completed internships at Family Services Center of the Assistance League of Southern California and at The Maple Counseling Center (TMCC). My post-graduate training continued at TMCC, where I worked for five years under the supervision of warm and talented licensed therapists. In 2001-2002, I completed a two-year program in Advanced Psychodynamic Psychotherapy Training at Southern California Psychoanalytic Institute. I became a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in 2007.
I am also interested in the integration of mind and body. I have been a meditator for over 20 years, with an active daily practice and have participated in many mediation retreats, silent and otherwise. In 2015, I became a Certified Mindfulness Facilitator by the Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, at UCLA. I continued my study of mind and body through a three-year program in Somatic Experiencing, and received my certification as a Somatic Experiencing Practitioner (SEP) in 2023.
In a life seemingly years ago, I received my JD and practiced law for 6 years in Washington DC and Los Angeles. I did not enjoy the legal system setup which views conflicts in dualistic black and white, with a winner and a loser. Life is so much more complex and multi-dimensional. I did enjoy, however, the mindset taught in law school that hones precise analysis and careful language. I continue to use those skills as a psychotherapist.