Biography
I have been helping teens and their families navigate through tough issues for over 2 decades. In my years of working at a psychiatric hospital, group homes, county clinics, and in private practice, I have helped families get out from under the problems that have kept them down. Unlike many who specialize in family therapy, I hold a doctorate degree, and with that comes greater expertise, training and skill.
I like to work with a whole family, as the larger group provides more opportunities for finding solutions and maintaining the changes made. I like to include anyone who might be helpful, if that is grandma or a boyfriend. Once we get rolling, I might divide people up into smaller units, for example sometimes there is adult business which should not be discussed in front of the kids, or perhaps I'll talk with the sibling group about how they can help decrease fighting and bring in more peace. Then I might reconvene the whole family so that conversations can come back to the larger group.
While my specialty is in helping families with teenagers, the same principals of relationships apply to couples counseling, pre-marital counseling, and individuals who are having problems in relationships (dating, family, boss, etc).