I hold a Masters of Social Work from the University of Southern California, a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy from Northwestern University and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Smith College. I am a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in Washington State (#SC60759686). I have been working with children and families since 1983 in a variety of settings.
My focus includes; mood and behavior management, depression, anxiety, trauma, parenting skills, and working with children and adults with developmental disabilities. I have over 20 years’ experience in private practice providing services utilizing a sensory integrative approach which has allowed me to better understand that the healing process can only be accessed by having clients reconnect their thoughts with their bodies. My experiences as a physical therapist have shaped my belief that an integrated mind-body approach is essential in therapy. I believe that each client has the capacity for growth and change. I offer services designed to help people identify goals and access their inner strengths to realize their potential and live happy fulfilling lives. I support the client in finding solutions by focusing on strengths rather than deficits. I utilize different treatment approaches such as cognitive behavioral therapy, solution focused therapy, and play therapy. New to my practice is the use of a therapy dog for animal assisted interventions.
I work with children 3 years and older using a non-directive experiential play therapy approach integrated with a sensory processing framework. Play is the language of children and allows the child to tell me their story in a non-threatening way. When working with children I typically involve the family.
I also work with adolescents, individual adults and families with a wide range of concerns including: Anxiety, Depression, Parenting, and Mental health challenges arising from chronic health conditions and developmental delays.