A sentiment that I strongly believe is expressed in this simple phrase coined by the mother of family therapy, Virginia Satir, “Peace within, peace between, peace among.” I have adopted this philosophy as well, and my purpose as a marriage and family therapist is to support people in their healing journey so that they can then go on to heal and strengthen personal relationships and, ultimately, bring peace to our communities and even society.

I am a San Diego native, although the military has moved our family a number of times and I have lived in various places around the country. I am honored to be counted among service member families and will always hold a special place in my heart for our military families. I have been married for 35 years, have raised four children into adulthood and I have five delightful grandchildren.

I have felt called to the marriage and family therapy profession and I believe that our relationships can potentially either bring us the greatest joy life has to offer or the greatest pain. As a couples therapist my goal is to help each partner feel safe reaching for one another in times when they need comfort, help and healing. When couples can effectively repair the ruptures in their relationships, big or small, then they are able to move forward confidently in their journey through life as a happy and successful couple. My therapeutic approach is based in Attachment and Experiential Theories, and I believe that felt experiences are the main mechanism to create change. Due to this, I facilitate corrective experiences in therapy sessions.

Additionally, I have decades of experience working with children as a day care provider, professional nanny and teacher’s aide. I also highly value PLAY as an essential aspect of development which has led me to gain extra training in different types of play therapy. Two of my favorite words are “Let’s play!” These words produce feelings of anticipation and joy for children (and most adults). I know that for children effective healing comes through play and my hope is that I can assist as many children and caregivers as possible to navigate through painful life experiences.

Doctoral Student of Marriage and Family Therapy – Alliant International University
M.A. in Couple and Family Therapy – Alliant International University
Bachelor of Science in Marriage and Family Studies – Brigham Young University
Association for Play Therapy Member
AAMFT Member

USCD Extension Play Therapy Program (March 2022-currently)
Emotionally Focused Therapy Externship (2018, 2022)
Level 1 Theraplay Training (2022)