I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and Board Certified Art Therapist with nearly 10 years of experience in counseling children, adolescents, adults, families and couples. My specialties include substance abuse, dual diagnoses, depression, anxiety, trauma, and domestic violence and I have worked within healthcare, government, and prison systems.
I am certified in TF-CBT, an evidence-based trauma modality and have worked with many trauma related cases with children and adults, related to sexual abuse and domestic violence. In addition, I am certified in PCIT, Parent-Child Interactive Therapy to help at-risk parents relate to their children more effectively. At Cedars-Sinai Thalian’s Mental Health Center I facilitated a young women’s eating disorders group. With the couples I see I use a neurobiological, attachment theory of practice that shows results.
I have many years of experience in substance abuse having trained at the Betty Ford Center. Gabor Mate, MD is my personal model for understanding treatment work as he writes so eloquently about the holistic need to address addiction. As a clinician I use mindfulness practice and meditation when I run groups and work with my individual clients but I, also, subscribe to the Matrix model of psycho-education in helping clients develop effective coping skills. The Matrix model is approved by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMSHA).
I use art therapy incorporating the 12-step process and have also worked in tandem with EMDR therapists using art therapy with my traumatized clients. In fact, I like to challenge my clients with multiple creative approaches such as journaling, photography, collage making, dynamic yoga and experiential activities such as role play.
Furthering my education, I have taken the MFT Clinical Supervision Course through CAMFT (California Association of Marriage & Family). Additionally, I have taken a two-day course in DBT Strategies with Dr. Charles Swenson.
In addition to broad therapeutic qualifications, I also offer administrative strengths including case management, program development, staff training, and community outreach as well as talents in research, writing, and public speaking. I have created new therapy groups for many of my past employers and developed Eisenhower Medical Center’s first Arts in Healthcare Program for staff and patients alike. As a Community-Based Counselor for the Cayman Islands Department of Counselling Services, I introduced the Alternative to Violence Project (AVP) and trained 40 employees from 6 key government agencies in becoming AVP Facilitators. In January 2014 I had the honor of making a presentation on the impact of childhood trauma and violence on mental and physical health at the Doctor’s Update Conference in France.