Education & Experience

Education

• BA in Psychology from UC Davis
• Masters Degree in Clinical Social Work from UC Berkeley

Experience

My first exposure to counseling was in college when I volunteered at a peer counseling center on campus.  I loved it and knew that this was what I wanted as a career.  As a result, upon graduating, I immediately entered a Master's Program and became licensed in 1993.

My first job in the field was as a therapist at a 30-day residential treatment facility for chemical dependency.  I worked with individuals who had addictions of all kinds and with their families, as they struggled to understand how addictions impacted everyone involved.

My next job was with a private non-profit community counseling agency.  I stayed there for 10 years, moving from a staff counselor position to site manager and eventually to clinical director.  I worked with individuals of all ages addressing issues including chemical dependency, codependency, depression, anxiety, trauma, eating/food issues, couples in conflict, low self esteem and aging.  I did individual therapy, group therapy and family therapy sessions.  When I became a manager, I realized again that counseling is my passion and moved to open my own private practice in 2000.