My Story

Born and raised in the Redwoods of Northern California, I spent two decades in the advertising industry as a creative director, art director, and copywriter collaborating on regional, national and global campaigns. As a creative director nothing was more thrilling then collaborating with other creatives. Nurturing diverse perspectives and personalities to create high impact campaigns was a source of great personal and professional inspiration.  

Later I founded two small businesses; one in tech accessories and another manufacturing active toys developed for neurodiverse, neurotypical, and other children with special needs. I am a US Patent holder and was honored with a Silver Clio Award 2002, Bronze Clio 2002 and published in Graphis Design Annual 2004 and American Graphic Design 2003. 

My goal is to empower growth through the use of dynamic evidence-based theories and therapeutic rapport. Though I love my work with individuals, I am particularly passionate about couples work and how it can lead to individual well being and familial harmony. For better or worse, our earliest programming teaches us what we think marriage 'should' be. The truth is, marriage is what we make of it. We are the creators and, although painful at times, it can also inspire and empower. I am a firm believer that people heal and grow in connection to others.

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Main Areas of Focus

Neurodiverse Couples   

Some couples have yet to realize they are neurodiverse. When they finally do, a diagnosis can feel like a relief after years of pain and contention. One common complaint from a partner may be that they are being "gaslighted” by the neurodiverse partner; accused of being irrational and not having their experience or feelings validated. The neurodiverse partner can feel overwhelmed and misunderstood. Common differences in communication are logical vs. emotional, concrete vs. abstract, absolute vs. relative, and avoidant vs. insistent.

The first step is to help couples identify just how differences in their wiring affect their interaction cycles. Next is to break blame and shame patterns and find acceptance in differences through a structured step by step process that helps you rediscover love and acceptance.

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Couples

De-escalation and healthy communication are a crucial place to start but only one dimension of couples work. Uncovering deeper unspoken truths and patterns by creating an environment of trust and acceptance is at the core of the healing process. 

Exploring and validating each partner's unique experience is essential to connecting. I help clients work past blame and shame. Major life changes like the loss of a job, the arrival of a child, or grief and loss, can bring about a shift in dynamics. My goal is to help couples grow together instead of apart while retaining their own identity. 

I provide a structured approach to couples therapy using elements of EFT, Gottman Method, CBT, Attachment Theory, Relational Life Therapy, Internal Family Systems and more. 

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Affair Recovery  

Unfortunately, affairs transcend race, culture, sexuality, age, and socio-economic background. Whether it be emotional or sexual, infidelity is traumatic. The betrayed partner can develop depression, anxiety, and symptoms similar to PTSD while the unfaithful partner can be plagued with guilt. My first step is crisis management to stabilize your lives so the therapeutic work can begin. Once the immediate crisis has settled, the real work begins.

If partners are willing, compassionate, and persistent, it can be an opportunity for tremendous growth. Affairs may be a reflection of long-standing wounds or struggles that pre-dated the marriage as well as patterns that developed during the relationship. Understanding why the affair occurred is critical to getting on a productive path to affair recovery.  Using a step-by-step process, I will compassionately steer couples through this difficult minefield. 

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Parenting And Co-Parenting  

It is in the best interest of their children for parents to move from an adversarial relationship to a cooperative and collaborative one. After 15 years of parenting and co-parenting of his own, I leverage my training and personal experience to help couples develop co-parenting plans and maintain a safe, secure, nurturing environment for their children to thrive. When done successfully, co-parenting counseling can improve the child’s confidence and self-esteem.

Individuals

As a compassionate professional, I am committed to helping individuals find healing, growth, and relationship transformation. This begins with building rapport which I believe is the wellspring of effective psychotherapy. I work with challenges such as depression, stress or anxiety, self-esteem, and career transition. Whether it is the cycle of life, health crisis, a move, a loss, relational struggles or change of circumstances, we can become overwhelmed. All too often there is a confluence of things that happen all at once. We thought we could handle it all but our body and psyche say no. I have a compassionate, accepting, curious approach that melds joining the client with various therapeutic methodologies and evidence-based practices. 

Other Areas of Focus

• Neurodiverse Couples Therapy & Coaching

• Trauma informed therapy

• Depression & Anxiety Treatment 

• Life transitions

• High stress jobs

• Discernment Counseling

• Trauma-informed Therapy

• Pre-marital Counseling

• Depression and Anxiety

• Grief, loss, and shame
  

Clients

• Couples of all ages

• Couples of all ethnic backgrounds

• Adult Individuals. Men, Women

• High achievers
  

Modalities

• Internal Family Systems (IFS)

• Emotionally Focuses Therapy (EFT)

• Narrative Therapy

• Solution-Focused Brief Therapy (SFBT)

• Person-Centered Therapy

• Gottman Method

• Family Systems 

• Positive Psychology

• Attachment-based

• Culturally Sensitive

• Existential 

• Family Systems 

• Humanistic

• Mindfulness

• Motivational
  

License

• Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, LMFT #151271

• Supervised by Dr. Harry Motro, LMFT #53452

• Employed by New Path Couples Therapy Inc.