Personal Description

I became a therapist at age 50, after a lifetime of interest in personal growth, relationships, and the meaning of life.  I have had two prior careers- as a self employed business person, and as an accountant.

I have been married to the same spouse since 1968, but found that our marriage has had to reinvent itself every 7 to 10 years as we have changed and grown.  We have two fascinating and wonderful adult children, and one delightful grandchild. 

I practice yoga and meditation regularly, enjoy a variety of physical activities, and am a lifelong reader, seeker of truth, and film buff.

Clients and friends describe me as respectful, insightful, compassionate, and humorous.

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and have been in private practice since 2002.  I have a Masters degree in Counseling from the University of Northern Colorado, and have done post graduate studies at Denver Family Institute and the Gestalt Institute of the Rockies.  I also have Level II EMDR training.  I am continually training to improve and expand my skills.

Philosophy

Therapy is first off, a relationship.  The qualities I bring to this relationship are acceptance, compassion, warmth, respect, honesty, humor, wisdom and presence. 

I also see therapy as a journey of self discovery and self realization.  Moving towards your full human potential.  I use my training and life experience to help you review and evaluate your life situation, and help you clarify your true goals. 

Every client is a unique individual, and I tailor my technique and approach to meet your needs and personal style. 

My core approach is to be a very effective, active and insightful listener.  Oftentimes, my clients discover their own truths and insights, as they use me as an educated and experienced sounding board.

Relationships are vital to our sense of well being and fulfillment in life.  As a trained relationship counselor, I help you understand others in your life, and see the impact you have on each other.  I help you explore new ways of communicating and acting that result in deeper and more positive connection.

Many people find themselves struggling with issues such as self-esteem, anxiety, fear, anger and depression.   Often, these troublesome emotions are a result of difficult childhood experiences of trauma, neglect, abuse, or just a lack of adequate nurturing.  We create limiting and inaccurate beliefs about our self and the world based on these difficult experiences, and then can be triggered by present experiences to think and act in these ineffective ways.

I can assist you in overcoming these feelings and beliefs by reworking these memories using a variety of imagination and cognitive therapies.  Using Gestalt or EMDR therapies, many clients experience a new freedom and release, and are able to overcome lifelong feelings of shame, fear, anger, or powerlessness.
 

Life Coaching can be an effective and enjoyable process where clients move toward enhancing their performance and joy in life.   We begin by looking at your past successes and struggles, and by evaluating your current goals and objectives.   We form a clear set of achievable goals, and explore lifestyle changes and strategies that enhance your chances of success.  Each session ends with a specific plan of action, and the next session starts with an evaluation of what worked and what elements may require a new approach. 

Not all clients are interested in exploring the deeper questions of meaning, values, and spirituality.  I am fine with that, and accept wherever you are at. 

We often find ourselves at decision points in life, where our choices will have great impact on us and others.  I enjoy working with people as they explore and clarify their values.  I assist you in seeing your situation clearly, evaluating your choices, and coming to decisions that enhance your sense of integrity and your peace of mind and heart.

Dreams can often guide us in clarifying how we really feel about situations, what issues are disturbing us, and pointing us in a direction of growth.  As a student and participant in Jungian dream groups for 20 years, I am happy to help you understand the unique language of your dreams.

Daily meditation has been shown to be as effective in enhancing sense of emotional well being.  I am happy to teach a variety of meditation and active imagination techniques that can help you to achieve a fuller, richer and more peaceful experience of life.

We are explorers in this life.  I hope you enjoy the trip!