I received my B.A. from Pennsylvania State University, and my Ph.D from the University of Minnesota. I have been licensed as a California Psychologist since 1983.
For my doctoral dissertation, I studied conflict patterns in premarital couples and helped develop a test to facilitate premarriage counseling and education programs called PREPARE-ENRICH. After completing my doctoral degree, I worked as an associate research scientist at the American Institutes of Research in Palo Alto, California, studying the effectiveness of counseling interventions for children in families of divorce and remarriage. I also taught graduate students at the California School of Family Psychology in San Rafael, CA, and supervised many students in their doctoral research.
Although I loved the intellectual challenges of research and teaching, I missed the personal connection found in direct service. I left research and teaching to complete my post-doctoral clinical training at the Stress Management Clinic in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Stanford University and at the Community Counseling and Education Center in Fremont, California where I provided individual and couple counseling and therapy. I have provided therapy and counseling in the Sacramento and Folsom areas since 1989. I am a Certified Emotionally Focused Couples Therapist and a Certified Emotionally Focused Individual Therapist. I am a Level 2 therapist in Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy. I also have extensive training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy.
I am a member of the American Psychological Association,
California Psychological Association, the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists, the
Sacramento Valley Psychological Association, the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy, the Greater Sacramento Davis Emotionally Focused Therapy Community, and the Institute for Accelerated Experiential Dynamic Psychotherapy.
