The early stage of my therapeutic practice began with 20 years as a massage therapist and a certified Body-Mind Centering practitioner. I deepened my capacity to work with the mind as well as the body by obtaining my master's degree in social work from Smith College for Social Work before becoming a licensed clinical social worker and psychotherapist in California.

 

Within my psychotherapy practice, I’ve treated anxiety and depression, unresolved grief, and relationship issues—often incorporating spirituality and meditation. I also worked extensively with those suffering from medical conditions, helping them navigate self-care, relationships, and the emotional turmoil of life-threatening diagnoses. 

 

Additionally, I spent 25 years as a psychotherapist at UCSF’s Osher Center for Integrative Medicine. During my tenure, I taught MBSR (Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction) and guided imagery. I currently teach mindfulness and guided imagery at the Cancer Resource Center, where I’ve been for over two decades.

My therapy practice deepened after completing The Essentials Course in AEDP (an experiential emotion-focused approach), further enabling me to help people overcome trauma, loss, and other serious emotional challenges.

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This experience, combined with an ongoing interest in relational psychoanalytic thought, attachment theory, and neuropsychology—including studies with Dr. Dan Siegel—has enhanced my understanding of how therapy and mindfulness can rewire the brain.

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I’ve had the opportunity to study with Tsoknyi Rinpoche, Dr. Jon Kabat-Zinn, Joseph Goldstein, Sharon Salzberg, and other leading teachers. I've also completed Spirit Rock's Advanced Practitioners Program and the 2-year Heavenly Messengers training, which addressed illness, aging, death, and awakening.

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In a notable chapter of my professional life, I’m now acquiring my certification in Psychedelic-Assisted Therapy from the Integrative Psychiatry Institute, slated for completion in Summer 2024. 

 

Concurrently, I’m receiving training in Relational Somatic Healing, a therapeutic modality that uses touch to heal early developmental trauma—a fulfilling integration of my earlier work as a bodyworker and Body-Mind Centering practitioner.

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As a lifelong student and seasoned practitioner, I treat all layers of the psyche, from the mental to the spiritual to the somatic. Various realms exist within each of us; therefore, my therapeutic approach is fluid, moving seamlessly between modalities. This allows me to address multiple aspects and their interplay when healing the whole person.