Welcome to my Psychology practice website. I have been licensed as a Psychologist (#1487) in Washington State since 1991 and in California since 2013 (# PSY 25862). My PhD in Counseling Psychology was earned from a program approved by the American Psychological Association at Texas A&M University in 1989. I began my professional career in 1977 as an MSW clinical Social Worker, and returned to school for my PhD in 1985.
My internship was completed at the American Lake Veterans Medical Center in Tacoma, Washington in 1988. I am a member of the American Psychological Association and several other professional organizations listed below. Although my membership does not imply endorsement by these organizations, my practice is governed by a code of ethical responsibility. This means that I strive to provide the best service I am capable, and must work within the limits of my professional competency.
Throughout my career, I have worked with a variety of individuals, couples, families and groups experiencing a wide range of difficulties such as: acute and chronic depression; anxiety disorders (including generalized anxiety, acute and chronic post-traumatic stress disorders); coping with stress and life changes; marital difficulties and problems in communication; coping with divorce; coping with problems related to aging; grief and loss; coping with changes in health; smoking cessation, psychological testing, psychological disability evaluations.
My Philosophy and Approach
My approach with clients is practical and collaborative. Whether working together in Therapy or Life Coaching, goals and plans are developed collaboratively and tailored to each individual. The plans and strategies we develop are dynamic and subject to refinement based on the emergence of new information during the collaborative process. Much of what emerges is “grist for the mill” as we work together in finding ways to achieving your goals.
In practicing psychology, I follow the ideas of Alfred Adler who believed that behavior is goal‑directed, and that people strive to achieve a sense of significance and meaning in life. I believe that our actions and thoughts reflect our best efforts to achieve our goals and cope with the stresses and demands of everyday life at any given point in time. Therapy and Life Coaching involve identifying beliefs, feelings, patterns of thinking, life history, and important life involvements (such as family, friends, and work) as they relate to how well one is getting along in life at any point in time. Sometimes the focus of therapy may be on a specific presenting problem, and ways to overcome obstacles to living a more meaningful and satisfactory life. At other times, a presenting problem may represent the tip of an iceberg of longer-standing issues which would require more extensive attention.
Therapy is as much art as science. It is a collaborative effort in which therapist and client work together in finding solutions to problems, and increasing the ability to negotiate a more satisfying way in life and through the curves often encountered a long the way.
I use a variety of therapeutic approaches tailored to the needs of individual clients and personal styles. Some clients may require a direct problem-solving or skill building approach. Others may require a focus on increasing understanding and insight regarding troubling patterns of thought, behavior, and relationships. By paying attention to the meaning we give to our life experiences, we may learn to understand our lives in more productive ways, and expand the possibilities of how we cope and move into the future. I focus on how people think about things, and the relationship between thinking, feelings and actions. I help people identify and evaluate their goals in life, and how well they are achieving those goals.
Part of our work may involve experiencing unpleasant and painful feelings. Personal change can involve looking at things that make us feel uncomfortable. Part of my role as a psychologist is to provide the support and encouragement needed to address these difficulties so you can work through them. We do this by identifying issues and problems, developing plans to address the problem(s) in manageable ways, putting those ideas and plans into practice, and evaluating progress throughout the therapy process.
One of the things I strive to do is help clients get moving in a more positive direction as early as possible. It is my hope that clients leave my office with something more positive and encouraging than when they came in. Sometimes this may take the form of having a new or different perspective, having a new insight about one’s self or one’s situation, and/or having the beginnings of a new plan of action to bring about desired change.
Educational Background
PhD Counseling Psychology (1989) Texas A&M University. College Station, TX
PhD Clinical Internship (1988-1989): American Lake Veterans Medical Center, Tacoma, WA
MSW (1977) Virginia Commonwealth University School of Social Work, Richmond, VA
BA in Sociology (1974) SUNY Binghamton, Binghamton, NY
Licenses and Registrations
Washington State Licensed Psychologist since 1991 (license: PY 00001487)
California Licensed Psychologist since 2013 (license: PSY 25862)
Professional Memberships
(does not imply endorsement)
American Psychological Association
California Psychological Association
Psychologists for Social Responsibility
Physicians for Human Rights (PHR)