Education:
-Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from CSU Stanislaus 1999
-Masters of Science in Counseling Psychology CSU Stanislaus 2004 (graduated summa cum laude)
-Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist with the Board of Behavioral Sciences 2009
 
Experience:
I have been involved in the field of mental health for over 23 years. I have worked in a variety of settings, with a variety of adult and childhood diagnoses including:
-Inpatient mental health facility. 
-Coordinating outpatient services at a counseling center specializing in working with    women and children who have been victims of sexual assault, domestic violence or  violent crimes. 
-Training a local agency on suicide prevention and intervention. 
-Counseling children and teens and providing family services, including parenting support for families and  children with a variety of diagnosis and from a variety of backgrounds. 
-Created and facilitated a support group for bereaved parents and family members who suffered the loss of a  pregnancy, infant or child.
-Working within the school based mental health system providing counseling services and also providing  evaluation for emotional disturbances in students K-12.
-Private practice work since 2006.
 
My philosophy:
I believe that people have the strengths and the resources that they need to solve their problems but with life's circumstances and burdens, we sometimes forget these strengths and resources. I believe that often times, it takes someone from "outside of the box" to help us reconnect to these things I also believe that change happens by creating safe environment for people to express themselves. I believe that therapy is a team effort between a therapist and a client.  I feel that true expression of thoughts, feelings and actions, and becoming in touch with them, facilitates change. I believe that therapy should be a positive experience and that judgement has no place in the therapy session. I believe that you are the expert on your life. It's my job to help you find your way back to being the expert at your life, so that you can create your happiness!