Resumé

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 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. I have also offered a pro bono psychotherapy at UCSF’s  AIDS Health Project.

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 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.

I am passionate about psychotherapy and compassionate about people!