What was your path to becoming a therapist? What inspired you to choose this profession?
I am an older person in my 70's who has experienced and seen much in life. My father was a psychologist, as was my grandmother and I did get my BA in psychology several decades ago. This is actually my third vocation, after having been a writer/editor in the publishing business and a general manager in the satellite communications business. However, following a painful divorce 20 years ago, I decided to find a new vocation more in line with what I enjoyed most -- talking with people about the issues and pain that might be afflicting them. I love this profession because it has taught me so much about myself and the clients that I serve.
In what ways do your life philosophy and treatment philosophy overlap?
I have been a practicing Buddhist for 50 years. Buddhism is not so much a religion as it is a philosophy and it is rooted in the sense that everything changes and each day presents new opportunities to proactively change our lives. It has been called the most psychological of religions and I find there is much about its approach to compassion, mindfulness and non-violence that overlaps with my therapeutic approach.
What does a first session with you look like?
That session will involve us getting to know each other and my attempting to truly be in the present while I listen to your issues and concerns, even as I ask about your life, specifically your family of origin and how you grew up, including adolescence. Adler said that these first years of life are critical because they are where we wrote the symphony of our life, even as we may have picked up a few bad notes.
Specialties
Communication issues
Life transitions
Mood disorders
Trauma
Couples
General Expertise
Depression
Anxiety
Relationship Issues
Loss/Grief
Self-Esteem
Communication issues
Dissociative disorders
Divorce & separation
Fees
$80
First Session
$100
Couples Therapy
$75
Individual Therapy
Types of Therapy
Couples Session
Individual Session
Clientele
Young Adults (18-24)
Adults (25-65)
Seniors (65+)
Treatment Approaches / Modalities
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
Mindfulness Practices
Adlerian Therapy
Compassion-Focused Therapy
Eclectic Therapy
Emotionally Focused Therapy
Humanistic Therapy
Jungian Therapy
Training / Certifications
PESI Level 1 EMDR
Certified Trauma Practitioner
Licensure
CO, LMFT, 1509
Education
MA in Adlerian psychotherapy.
Work History
My work history has included working for three years with the homeless in Minneapolis and also doing 5 years of outpatient therapy in a variety of agencies, including hospitals. Much of this was in the service of attaining marriage and family hours to receive my license. Because of my work with the homeless, I have become quite dedicated to developing my expertise in creating trauma. As an Adlerian, I am also very experienced in working with depression, anxiety and I also do a lot of communication work with couples. Currently, since the pandemic began, I have mostly been doing telemedicine with a couple of agencies because I find it to be very effective and convenient for clients who have difficulty scheduling office visits. Though I am currently in Minnesota, my intent is to return to my home state of Colorado in the not too distant future.
Location
11182 Aberdeen St. NE, Unit A, Blaine, 55449, MN