Welcome

I work with individuals, couples, families, parents, teens and children in Capitola, Santa Cruz County, California. I practice from a mindfulness-based cognitive therapy orientation.

Specialties include:
1) working with children, teens and adults in transition
2) healing relational, developmental, medical or shock trauma
3) couples therapy, co-parenting counseling, re-organizing families, and divorce recovery.
4) using somatic and cognitive awareness to settle anxiety and panic, and to move through grief and depression. More authenticity, sensitivity and ease within one's body and mind and between family members is the treatment goal.

A therapeutic relationship can provide an ultimate healing environment for adults, children and adolescents. The therapist's undivided attention and deep listening skills assist clients in doing their inner and relational work. An up-to-date clinical education and deep compassion for all of us on this journey through life facilitates healing. Over the years, I've seen how vitally important this support can feel as we navigate life's transitions.

Co-parent counseling addresses parents' need to learn new ways of relating for the benefit of their children. Understandably, learning to co-parent after the dissolution of an intact family can be quite emotionally activating. Learning more positive and regulated ways of sharing children and teens can transform families and step-families.

Reconnection therapy is a specialized arena which addresses the healing of parent-child dyads where there is contact refusal, or a new introduction and relationship repair is necessary. We address issues of attunement, estrangement and alienation. Together, we create new relational experiences that pave the way towards healing.

Somatic awareness (learning to track our sensations) is very helpful in settling our nervous systems. Even small children are quickly able to learn to notice sensations, emotions and thoughts. After looking at the stories we (often unconsciously) tell ourselves, we can learn to turn stories around. Becoming more mindful of the reciprocal relationship between our thoughts, emotions and nervous systems is the foundation of my work.

Contact info for mental health emergencies needing immediate attention in
Santa Cruz county:

County of Santa Cruz 24 hour
Telecare 24 hour crisis line:
(831) 600-2800
https://www.namiscc.org/

Help line: 831-427-8020
Center for Child Protection
https://www.scvmc.org/