"Even the most exalted states and the most exceptional spiritual accomplishments are unimportant if we cannot be happy in the most basic and ordinary ways, if we cannot touch one another and the life we have been given with our hearts." - Jack Kornfield, A Path With Heart

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY

"Marriage and Family Therapists (MFTs) are relationship specialists who treat persons involved in interpersonal relationships. They are trained to assess, diagnose and treat individuals, couples, families and groups to achieve more adequate, satisfying and productive marriage, family and social adjustment. The practice also includes premarital counseling, child counseling, divorce or separation counseling and other relationship counseling. Marriage and Family Therapists are psychotherapists and healing arts practitioners licensed by the State of California. Requirements for licensure include a related doctoral or two-year master's degree, passage of a comprehensive written and oral examination and at least 3,000 hours of supervised experience." - California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists

Relationship Counseling

As a Marriage and Family Therapist, I specialize in helping individuals and couples have more satisfying and healthy relationships. Whether you are single in search of a partner, or already in a committed relationship, our work together can help you identify the strengths that you bring to your relationship, as well as recognizing patterns that keep you from having the quality of relationship you desire.

Therapy with Children and Families

I love working with children and their families. I have several years experience working as a therapist with children in public school and agency settings. Working with children also involves working with parents. Therapy with children is most effective when behavioral techniques that are learned in therapy, are supported at home. I work closely with parents to help children integrate their learning into their day-to-day lives. Consultations with parents, as well as family sessions, are utilized to increase learning by all members of the family.

In the safe, secure environment of the therapist's office, children are invited to play. I allow children to be themselves and I follow the direction of their play. Therapists such as D.W. Winnicott, Virginia Axline and others, viewed play as therapeutic and healing in and of itself. Play in therapy is a safe place where fantasy may be used, allowing the therapist to interact with the inner world of the child. Generally in my work I allow the child to lead and any interaction is done mindfully. For children, play is an important way for learning about and adapting to significant life events. Young children experience play and experimentation with objects, and incorporate these "rehearsals" into real-life scenarios in order to understand and follow social codes.

Parent Coaching

Parenting is both a rewarding and challenging experience. As they say, "children don't come with instructions." While it is true that there are no firm written rules on parenting, there are many methods that can be utilized to increase parenting effectiveness and satisfaction. Mindfulness based parenting skills can be shared in coaching sessions, along with other tools that can be used day to day with your child to help improve behaviors and support a loving relationship. In our sessions, the focus is on what is going right, what your child does well, and building on strengths. Consistency in methods as well as parental partnership is essential. The good news about behaviors is that they can be changed! Our work together can help your child learn increase self esteem, learn to recognize triggers to negative behaviors and how to choose more appropriate behaviors.  Please contact me for a coaching session.

Mindfulness Based Psychotherapy

The ability to remain centered and focused is often more challenging in the midst of unanticipated life transitions such as job loss and divorce. The mindfulness based practices offered in our sessions can help you cultivate the ability to live happily and find meaning in life changes.  Adults, children and families seek my services to alleviate suffering from symptoms of depression, anxiety, ADHD, and relationship difficulties, as well as to deepen their relationships and for spiritual growth.

Mindfulness—paying attention to our experience, from moment to moment, with non-judging awareness—is a practice that cultivates an appreciation and acceptance of our experience, and of ourselves, just as we are. When we are aware of our experiences, we recognize blockages to clarity and can choose how we want to respond to life events.

So much suffering in life is a result of expecting our experience to be different than it actually is. Mindfulness based psychotherapy can help free you from clinging to negative thinking patterns and faulty beliefs that keep you stuck in unhappiness. Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) has been shown to be an effective treatment for depression, preventing relapse in many cases.

I believe there is more right with you than wrong with you, and that the capacity for health and healing is within you. In my work, it is my intention is to help you identify patterns that keep you stuck in negative patterns, and help you find the keys that can set you free from suffering so you may live your life as joyfully as possible.

Contemplative Expressive Arts Workshops

Art is a creative process that is an expression of the divine nature in all of us. In our work, the focus is on the process of expression, not on creating a finished product. One contemplative vehicle for spiritual expression and devotion is the mandala, which has been utilized by many cultures for thousands of years. The Swiss psychoanalyst Carl Jung utilized mandalas in his personal and professional life. Jung believed that healing occurs when we express our inner life through symbols and can then integrate all aspects of the self for healing and wholeness. In my work with adults and children, we recognize the divine healing light within, and create mandalas that are patterns of energy expressing our healing intentions for ourselves and others. Please visit the Mandala for Healing page for examples.

Another method utilized in sessions with individuals and groups is SoulCollage®. Developed by Seena Frost, M.A., MDiv., SoulCollage is a process through which intuition guides the creation of cards, expressing aspects of personality that speak directly to, and from, our inmost being. Each card has deep meaning and may be helpful for exploring life's questions. Cards can be created individually or in groups. Ongoing workshops and classes are being offered. For more information about SoulCollage, check the SoulCollage page.

Take that step toward better health and well-being today! Call 408.827.1862 or Email me.