Approach

A sunset over the ocean with orange and red colors.

My Approach

I use a gestalt therapy/relational/mindfulness approach. Gestalt therapy deals with assisting individuals in becoming the whole person they were intended to be. The Gestalt approach uses techniques applied to current situations which address core issues that contribute to our patterns of suffering and unhealthy behaviors of today.

I realize that a prerequisite to acquiring new ideas introduced in therapy is through helping people understand what it is they are dealing with. I also prefer to teach clients something new in the first session they can practice with on their own so that they can begin to feel better. Once people begin to feel a little better, they are more receptive to learning even more.

I also have learned that one of the best and quickest ways to help people reach their goals in therapy is to incorporate some experiential work. Experiential work means that we are not just talking about something (which continues to keep us avoiding the core issues), we will actually get to experience it, which facilitates learning and healing.

A Little Background

I am a licensed professional counselor in the State of Arizona and I have been practicing for more than 18 years in the Phoenix area. I grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area and moved to Phoenix in 1984. After graduating phi beta kappa from ASU, then getting my master’s in counseling, I worked for Tri-City Behavioral Services, Arizona Children’s Services, Devereaux-Arizona, and then started my private practice in 1996.

The idea of becoming a therapist was the result of my own personal therapeutic journey. I began suffering anxiety and panic attacks at 5 years of age. Back then no one knew anything about anxiety and I was left to obsess and analyze it to death. I spent much of my life searching for answers as to what was wrong with me and what I could do to stop my pain. Finally, in 1985 I began individual therapy and some exhausting personal research, both of which helped me understand what I was experiencing and I found how to overcome it.

I believe that what makes me an effective therapist is that I know what works and what doesn’t based on my personal experience, education and instinct. I know that being in one’s head is a lonely and fearful existence, and learning to live from the open heart, is freeing and connecting.

I know it can be scary to ask a stranger for help. The truth is it’s okay to be scared and still seek the help that you need. The only way you will ever feel better about your situation is by seeking help and being open to change. It only takes patience, persistence and the desire for a better life.