About

I am a child, adolescent, and young adult psychotherapist specializing in the treatment of trauma, ADHD, OCD, psychosis, depression, and anxiety. I also treat couples and parents via family therapy. I employ an integrative approach of counseling that comprises (1) a humanistic stance of letting patients lead the way to their own healing, (2) inclusion of evidence-based practices, including cognitive-behavioral therapies, and (3) the magic and mysticism inherent in play therapy, sandplay, expressive arts, and music/dance. Dr. Carl Jung taught us many years ago that we (i.e., analysts) are nothing more than imperfect, wounded healers. With this humility, I join with patients and their families within the sacred space, a reverence for spiritus (Latin for "breath"), and a devotion to sol (soul). Psychotherapy is derived from the Greek word "psyche," which translates to "soul" and "therapeai," which means "care of." So etymologically, psychotherapy is a caring of the spirit/soul.

While I don't pre-suppose theory or technique, I do use an integrative approach in collaboration with every patient. My primary therapeutic modalities include sandplay, play therapy, trauma-informed therapy, cognitive behavioral therapy, and expressive arts. I am open to integrate caretakers/family throughout the psychotherapy process if relevant and only if patient asks, a sacred process I refer to as "soul play."

I've been the recipient of multiple awards from national professional organizations for my research and advocacy of traumatized children and families. My play therapy work with children affected by natural disasters was featured in the 2005 CNN documentary, "Children of the Storm." As well as, I was an invited panelist on CNN from 2006-2008 discussing children's mental health issues.

In addition to maintaining a private practice for the past 20 years, I've served as a faculty member specializing in children's mental health at the Johns Hopkins University's School of Education in Baltimore, MD, 2005-2018. More recently, I served as a tenured associate professor in school counseling at Purdue University in West Lafayette, IN.

I've authored/edited several recent books in child psychology, including: "The Handbook of Jungian Play Therapy" (Johns Hopkins Press); "No Child Forgotten" (Rowman & Littlefield); "Integrating Expressive Arts and Play" (John Wiley); & "Counseling Families" (Rowman & Littlefield), and "Play Therapy with PreTeens" (Rowman and Littlefield).