I graduated from Simpson College with a BA in Psychology in 1985, and earned a Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Northern Illinois University in 1989.
I have served in a variety of mental health settings over the past 30 years. While earning my Bachelor’s Degree, I was a staff member in a day program for physically and developmentally disabled children. I also worked at a residential agency, providing mental health care to children requiring intensive treatment. During graduate school, I was a counselor in an outpatient clinic, as well as providing in-home family services.
After graduation, I was a program therapist in a residential facility for emotionally and behaviorally distressed children. Later, as an employee assistance counselor, I prepared mental health and substance abuse assessments and conducted debriefings following traumatic events. I also directed two federally funded grant programs, specializing in services for high-risk youth and families. As I worked with these children, I realized that one of the best ways to support them was to ensure their parents were supported. By helping parents create stable relationships and a strong bond with each other, the children I worked with would have a supportive environment in the home. Before opening my private practice office, I served as a therapist and clinical supervisor in a psychiatry clinic serving both children and adults.
I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT), Facilitator for the STEPPS (Systematic Training in Emotional Predictability and Problem Solving) Program, a Certified Medical Practice Executive, and a Clinical Fellow with the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy.
I believe in each client’s individual value just as they are, and also believe in their potential to improve. The atmosphere in my sessions is warm, collaborative and purposeful. I provide practical feedback, including suggestions for new ways of thinking, assessing relationships and improving well-being outside of sessions. It is my goal to restore a sense of hopefulness and optimism in my patients and to provide them the tools they need to succeed.
(Photo courtesy of Jenny Condon Photography)