It was hard growing up as a gangly red haired freckled face girl. To avoid looks and stares, I tended to keep to myself, indulging in my favorite pastime, reading. When I was 12 my parents and I had a coin toss about whether I could keep the door of my room or not because they thought I spent to much time reading alone. Fortunately, I won that coin toss and got to keep that door. I’ve continued reading and learning ever since. That curiosity and concentration allows me now to make connections in your relationship that others might never be able to point out.
My Background and Training
My Ph. D. in Medical Psychology was from the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences in 1985. I was trained first as a researcher and have always loved to find out how the mind works and how it affects us in our lives. My research area was in human sexuality, which prepared me to become a sex therapist. I have also worked as a professor of psychology at CSU Stanislaus for more than 35 years and continue to train therapists through courses like counseling sexual problems and couples therapy. I am a Licensed Psychologist in the State of California (PSY Lic.# 14437). My advanced training in couples therapy from The Couples Institute in Menlo Park, CA with Ellyn Bader and Peter Pearson forms an important part of my focus on how we bond to others (attachment), how we respond to bonding and communications (the brain), and on how we progress to deeper and deeper levels of connection with a partner (developmental stages in relationships). My postgraduate training in couples has included Level 1 training with John Gottman, and Level 1, 2, and Master Mentoring training in the Developmental Model of relationships for couples created by Ellyn Bader and Peter Pearson of The Couples Institute in Menlo Park, CA. I have completed training in Discernment Counseling with DRI Alliance for Marriage and Divorce Professionals.My Mission
Couples and Singles I want to share all this experience and knowledge with a larger audience. I want to specifically connect with the world of people out there who want to get some immediate relief and help for the same old blocks that happen in their relationships whether about communication, sexual problems, or feeling a lack of closeness to one’s partner. The RE workshops are geared to helping you begin a new expedition into interpersonal relating with the right tools and skills. They will help you whether you are currently in a relationship or a single person who feels stuck or who doesn’t want to keep making the same mistakes over and over in new relationships. For Clients I want to bring all this experience and knowledge to a larger audience. I want to specifically connect with the world of people out there who want to get some immediate relief and help for the same old blocks that happen in their relationships whether about communication, sexual problems, or feeling a lack of closeness to one’s partner. The RE workshops are geared to helping you explore interpersonal relating with the right tools and skills. They will help you whether you are currently in a relationship or a single person who feels stuck or who doesn’t want to keep making the same mistakes over and over in new relationships. For Therapists My trainings for therapists are designed to help clinicians with any level of experience discover more effective ways to work with couples, to expand their knowledge base regarding the latest approaches in couples therapy and counseling sexual problems, and to collaborate with other professionals in our training so your couples work is fulfilling and more stress-free. With proven methods from Ellyn Bader and Pete Pearson of the Couples Institute in Menlo Park, CA, based on their Developmental Model of relationships, and the Gottman Institute’s empirically-based interventions, I can help take you to the next level in your therapeutic work and make your work with couples your driving passion, as it is with me.About Me
In my personal time, I enjoy connection with family and friends, creating mosaic art, traveling, and exploring the Sierra Foothills with my husband, our two dogs, Leo and Deki, and our cat, Koki. We love to share meals and conversations, grow food in our garden, and give back to our community as much as possible. I have a PhD in Medical Psychology and am a licensed psychologist in the state of California (since 1995, Psy Lic #14437). I am also a member of SSTAR (Society of Sex Therapists and Researchers), AASECT(American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapist), and the IASR (International Academy of Sex Researchers). My postgraduate training in couples has included Level 1 training with John Gottman, and Level 1, 2, and Master Mentoring training in the Developmental Model of relationships for couples created by Ellyn Bader and Peter Pearson. I have completed training and am fully certified in Discernment Counseling with DRI Alliance for Marriage and Divorce Professionals.
