I have been a licensed clinical social worker in the state of California, specializing in individual and relationship therapy, since 1983 (LCSW #L10609. Click here to verify my license status). I received my masters (1977) and my doctorate (1983) in Social Welfare from the University of California at Berkeley. I also have a certificate (#45) in telehealth from Florida that allows me to do online therapy with Florida residents only. I only work online in California and Florida (Telehealth Certificate #45).
I describe my style as informal but professional. I am not a blank screen therapist. I have learned that while the primary focus of therapy is on your needs, that my most successful work is when I bring my full self to the work. There’s a place for humor, for tears, for reflections on current political events. As a musician, I have a special fondness for bringing music into therapy as I believe music is a special language of its own. So feel free to bring your instrument, or to sing a song.
As a professional, I adhere to the ethical guidelines of the National Association of Social Workers and the California Board of Behavioral Sciences. I have learned how to adopt these guidelines to meet the unique challenges of people who live in rural and small communities.
My approach in one-on-one therapy is individualized to meet your specific needs. I will spend 5-10 minutes on the phone with you first to see if it makes sense for us to set up an appointment. If it isn’t, I will help you find another therapist. After our intake session, we’ll check in to see how we feel about working together. While I am a great therapist for many people, I am not for everyone.
Together I will help you identify the issues you want to work on and the possible approaches we might take. I am trained in a variety of approaches and do not do cookie cutter therapy.
I am strongly influenced by humanistic, feminist, and existential approaches.
I am strengths-oriented.
I am a Sex-Positive therapist and am comfortable working with people of all genders and sexual orientations and relationship and sexual configurations, including open relationships, sex workers and kink.
While I believe that some people can benefit from 12 step programs, I am more comfortable with harm reduction approaches. I prefer to use language that steers away from labeling people. For example, instead of alcoholism or sex addiction, I talk about using substances in ways that aren’t good for you.
I believe that it is critical that our work take into account how your various identities, such as racial, ethnic, social class, and disability impact upon your life.
I will check in with you frequently to make sure therapy is working for you.
Most of the work I do with couples is influenced by the approach of John and Julie Gottman. I have done Levels I and II of Gottman training. This approach is one of the few evidence-based couples therapy. While it involves a longer assessment process, the overall length of therapy is usually shorter.
Please see my resume for more information about my education and experience.
When I’m not working, I hang out with my partner of 41 years and our 15 year old cat. I enjoy playing the piano. I am classically trained and am now learning jazz piano, which is really hard. I also love to go to concerts. I love travel, especially international since I lived in 8 different places growing up, including Taiwan and Germany. I love the outdoors and love to kayak and birdwatch. I am blessed to live in the wine country in northern California.