I specialize in cognitive behavioral therapy,
which allows me to work most successfully with clients on a wide range
of emotional and behavioral problems. I tailor my approach to each
client and may also include as needed practices from other therapy
interventions such as attachment theory, humanistic psychology, and
psychodynamic theory.
When my five year old son, Jonathan, died of a brain
tumor in 1992, I began helping others heal from losses in their lives.
As my personal journey evolved to embrace a holistic approach to
integrating spiritual, physical and cognitive ways of healing, I began
professional training to become a therapist, obtaining a Master of
Science degree in Pastoral Counseling from Loyola University Maryland.
This ecumenical program not only prepared me as a therapist, but also
trained me to integrate into therapy a client's spiritual or religious beliefs or practices.
Before I began my own private psychotherapy practice, I worked for
three years as the Coordinator of Education, Training, and Crisis
Response at the Wendt Center for Loss and Healing. Prior to my work as a
professional counselor, I worked as an attorney for 25 years for health
care and hospice related organizations.
In 2010, I received advanced training by the late
Dr. Joseph Ciarrocchi of Loyola University. His groundbreaking
approach integrates the disciplines of cognitive behavioral therapy,
positive psychology, self regulation and behavior modification, and
spiritual and religious belief systems and practices into a unified
therapeutic treatment practice. We developed a 10 session manual using spiritually integrated cognitive behavioral therapy for depressed and chronically ill patients.