I have over 20 years experience in a variety of therapeutic experience including crisis counseling, intense in home family therapy, as well as agency and private clinical practice. I also have significant experience in clinical supervision. .
Among my areas of expertise are individuals problems with anxiety, PTSD and depression, marital/couple therapy for relationships on the brink of separation/divorce, parenting issues, communication and conflict resolution problems as well as premarital counseling .
You will find that I am a practical, interactive, solution-focused therapist. You will also find that I am very approachable and enjoy a good laugh. Frankly I think I am funny and often my patients agree with me. I find that humor in sessions is often very helpful in periodically removing some of the stress that ebbs and flows necessarily in therapy sessions.
My treatment approach is to provide support and practical feedback to help clients resolve current problems and long-standing patterns. I believe that the therapy session is not the "magic hour" and thus I teach people about the nature of change.
I also and provide education about not only what the problem is but on how to change it. I do this by providing solid information about the basis of not only behaviors, thinking and emotions but also about the neurophysiological and spiritual elements of change. I am very successful because I believe that if people are given the right tools along with the right encouragement that they will successfully make the changes that they desired when they first came into therapy.
B.A., University of Minnesota, Psychology, 1981
ThM, Dallas Theological Seminary, Pastoral counseling, 1992
Ph.D., Capella University, Human services: specialization in marriage and family services, 2005
Additional Training
The Brain and Behavior-comprehensive training on the neurobiology of the the brain-Dr. Daniel Amen, MD- 2009
Neuroanatomical Dissection: Human Brain and Spinal Cord-Marquette University, College of Health Sciences, Department of Biomedical Sciences-2009
Prepare/Enrich couples and marriage inventory
Trained in chemical dependency intervention
