Certified Internal Family Systems Therapist
And Approved Clinical Consultant

Hello.  I was born in and have spent most of my life (except for a few years traveling the world)  in Santa Cruz county, CA  I hold a Bachelor of Science Degree in Research Psychology, a Masters of Science Degree in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in counseling.  I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) and a Certified IFS Therapist.  My journey working in mental health started in 2008 at the Santa Cruz County Jail where I developed a deep sense of compassion for people struggling with Anger Management, Anxiety depression, Trauma and Addiction.   From there I went on to work at several different counseling agencies that served a wide range of different people from Teens to Seniors and everyone in between.  I found that I had a passion for helping people learn about themselves and find new ways to navigate their struggles while making lasting changes.   By the time I opened my own private practice I had incorporated working with couples and parents as I found great joy in helping to reduce conflict, open better channels of communication and create more love and connection in relationships. 

 

I was introduced to Internal Family Systems (IFS) therapy at the beginning of my graduate program and something about it just clicked in my mind as it made so much intuitive sense.  I went on to get officially trained in IFS then became a Program Assistant for 6 other Level 1 and 2 trainings before eventually becoming a Certified IFS therapist and Approved Clinical Consultant.  I see the world through an IFS lens and have been seeing my own IFS therapist since 2010.  I use IFS to help people work through issues of Anxiety, Anger Management, Depression, Trauma, Addictions and much more. 

 

I am proudly married to the most supportive woman I could ever ask for and the proud father of 4 wonderful children.  I was trained in Love and Logic Parenting early in my therapy career and draw on that in working with my own children and while helping other parents work with their children.  Gottman Couples therapy was a big influence on my own relationship and I use a combination of it and Intimacy From the Inside Out (IFIO - the couples version of IFS) when working with couples. 

 

All in all, I love helping people, watching them grow and heal through the process of therapy so let me know if you are ready to start your therapeutic journey.