About

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) based in Utah with over 40 years of experience. I have worked in residential treatment centers providing clinical services for adolescents and families dealing with mental health issues and substance abuse problems. After being a program director for more than 15 years for a private non-profit program helping mostly families with adolescents in the youth correctional system and the division of family services, I transitioned to a private for profit residential program that serves adolescents and families from all over the country as well as a few international clients. This transition allowed me to focus more on providing direct services that included individual, family and group therapy for more than 20 years. I am now retired and working part time in private practice.
I helped develop programming (1993 to 1994) to assist inmates close to release from the Utah State Prison integrate back into their families and communities. I facilitated group therapy for domestic partners to assist the reorientation back into the family unit.
I helped design and implement substance abuse programming (1991 to 2001) for adult corrections at a halfway house and provided those services for ten years.
My fundamental approach combines cognitive-behavioral, and rational-emotive counseling. I see Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) as a useful intervention to help manage negative emotional states and improve interpersonal relationships.
I have a great deal of experience and understanding on helping people deal with dysfunctional family systems they were raised in and how dysfunctional dynamics (often in subtle ways) can manifest in families that are very capable and high achieving. I have extensive experience working with depression, anxiety, trauma, adverse childhood experiences, family dynamics, marital problems, parenting-related issues, religion-related challenges, and substance abuse.
I grew up a military brat with an alcoholic father and a codependent mother. I have spent my life breaking a cycle that has been generations old. I have been married for over 40 years, I have five children and 17 grandchildren. I think they like me.