About Me

My Experience

I have worked for over 30 years in the helping services. I started as a teenager, volunteering in a summer program for children with special needs including downs syndrome and cerebral palsy. In high school and college, I continued my passion for working with people by working in a variety of settings including a nursing home, a battered women's shelter and a group home.

I worked in the New York City public schools for many years as a school counselor. In New York City, I also worked as a clinical psychologist in a community health agency. I conducted intakes and therapy sessions in Spanish with clients from a variety of Spanish speaking countries including Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic.

After I left New York City, I was part of the National Health Service Corps in Hawaii, and serviced severe and chronically mentally ill as part of a federal program for doctors serving underserved areas. I have worked a number of years serving clients with severe and chronic mentally illness. More recently I was an Assistant Professor of School Counseling, a Group Supervisor at the LA Gay and Lesbian Center and currently am in private practice in Pasadena.

I have a Bachelor's degree from Barnard College in Anthropology. My M.A. and Ed.M. are from Columbia University in Psychological Counseling. My Ph.D. is from New York University in Counseling Psychology.

My Approach

Everybody feels sad, lonely, worried, angry or in need of support at some time in their life. These feelings are normal but sometimes our feelings, thoughts and behaviors get the best of us, become hard to control, or influence our daily lives in ways that we don't like. We wish we could respond differently or feel differently in our work or in our personal relationships. It may be hard to talk to family and friends about our concerns because we don't want to burden them; we think they may not understand or will not be able to help us. Therapy is a special relationship with a trained practitioner that allows the client to explore difficult feelings, thoughts and behaviors in a non-judgmental space and learn alternative ways of coping.

My approach to therapy is two-fold. I want to address the specific issues that have led you to therapy at this time of your life, and I will use therapeutic approaches that are compatible with your unique personality, problems and learning style. I believe that everyone has the power to reexamine and alter situations and tensions in their lives. Clients describe my approach as caring and compassionate but at the same time straight forward. I am committed to accompanying you on your personal journey towards better mental health.