I am a San Franciscan—born here and raised in northern California.
My undergraduate education in philosophy was completed at Santa Clara
University in 1970. After two further advanced degrees, I enjoyed careers
in business and counseling. I completed an M.A. in Psychology in 1996
and a Ph.D. in Psychology in 1999, both at The Wright Institute in Berkeley,
California.
My interest in psychology resulted from an experience of working with
people in advanced age (75-90+ years old). As part of an administrative
team, my work addressed issues of productivity, life satisfaction, chronic
illness and death. This experience of helping seniors integrate change
into their lives convinced me that providing psychological services to
the aging was both timely and valuable. Combining medical, spiritual and
psychological services made for a better quality of life, especially in
old age.
My desire to become a clinician took form when I began to think seriously
of the value of psychotherapy, not only for those advancing into old age
but for others as well.
My education as a clinical psychologist took place at The Wright Institute
where I was trained at various and diverse sites. Chief among these was
the California Pacific Medical Center's Outpatient Psychotherapy Department
in San Francisco, The Wright Institute Clinic at Berkeley, The Family
Services Agency of San Francisco, and The California College of the Arts
Counseling Center on the Oakland and San Francisco Campuses. Each placement
offered a unique opportunity to learn from men and women who were willing
to share their life experience. Both they and I learned to think differently
about what was causing dissatisfaction and discomfort in their lives.
Early in my counseling career I completed an internship at McAuley Clinic
at St. Mary's Hospital in San Francisco. After that I worked at Stanford
Medical Center's Lucille Packard Children's Hospital on the children's
oncology unit caring for both children and their families.
In San Francisco, at New Leaf Services and at UCSF's AIDS Health Project,
I offered pro bono, individual psychotherapy to men and women with
a variety of life issues.
My commitment as a therapist in private practice is to offer psychological
help to those who suffer emotionally. I offer a new way of thinking that
will help alleviate this suffering; and offer insight and support during
a time of change to greater vitality and aliveness.