Couples Counseling

I work with unmarried and married couples around improving communication, building trust, resolving conflicts, sharing concerns, and planning for the future. I find it useful to meet with a couple together for the first session, and then meet individually with each person for a session or two after that. After the individual sessions, we get back together again as a team and create a plan for resolving the issues of concern to the couple.

Kahlil Gibran's words from The Prophet inspire my perspective on healthy relationships: "...stand together yet not too near together: For the pillars of the temple stand apart, And the oak tree and the cypress grow not in each other's shadow." As each individual increases awareness of his or her inner self and contribution to the relationship, the couple grows stronger and arrives at a place where intimacy increases and conflicts are resolved productively.

I welcome couples of all ethnicities, persuasions and sexual orientations.

Family Therapy

I enjoy helping parents and children learn to understand each others' needs and improve their relationships. The pre-teen and teenage years are especially challenging for young people and parents alike. I can teach families methods for building connections, improving communication, enforcing rules and structure, showing mutual respect, and managing the difficult moments to stay strong for a lifetime.

My office is small, so at this point I only work with two- to three-person families at a time.

I have gained much experience with family dynamics in my work as a school counselor, which I began in 2001. I am very well-informed on issues affecting school-aged children and families, and also on methods of working with teachers and school administration. I have several areas of interest and expertise related to children and adolescents:

AD/HD: Accurate diagnosis is crucial and all intervention options, including and beyond medication, should be explored; parents do not have to figure it all out on their own. 

Blended families: Step-parents hold a special place in my heart. Their impact can be miraculous and life-affirming for everyone involved. Some coaching on family dynamics and relationship-building can be very helpful in achieving the best possible outcome.

Sexual orientation/gender identity acceptance: The time from when a child realizes she is "different" to when he accepts himself enough to share his self-knowledge with others can be long and lonely. Behaviors such as isolation, depression, underachievement, and acting-out signify that the child is facing an emotional struggle, and it may be related to identity issues and family dynamics.

Bullying/teasing: I believe that life is full of bullies and that we all need self-preservation skills to maintain our self-esteem and sense of safety and competence.

GATE students: Struggles can arise through difficulties connecting with peers, early empathic and moral development, boredom with standardized instruction, and underachievement due to a variety of factors.

At this time, I work with adolescents age 13 and over in my private practice. Counseling with adolescents usually involves their parents or guardians in some capacity. Young people benefit from self-discovery, emotional support, skill-building, and mastery over challenges; it is most useful if they receive these supports from their caretakers as well as from their counselor. Parents benefit from exploring their own childhood experience, expectations and limitations, and discovering untapped strengths and new ways of handling challenges.