Through my own years of clinical practice, training, and motherhood,

I have come to believe ... 

• that the nurture a child receives is as important as the nature the child is born with.

• that caring for young children is as challenging as it is rewarding.

• that it truly "takes a village," to not only raise a child, but to support the individuals responsible for that child's care.

• that creativity, in play and in art, is essential to fostering and nurturing relationships. It ignites the spark which fuels the moments of shared joy that link generations.

 

I am licensed to practice Marriage and Family Therapy in Michigan (4101006754), in California (MFC 45647), and in Louisiana (MFT1424), trained in EMDR, and a Registered Art Therapist. I am also an endorsed Infant and Family Mental Health Service provider, and currently a Fellow in the 2021-2022 Napa Infant-Parent Mental Health Fellowship Program. The last thirteen years of my clinical practice have included experiences supportive of endorsements in California through the Center for Infant-Family and Early Childhood Mental Health, as a Mental Health Specialist and a Reflective Practice Facilitator Level II. My graduate education includes an M.A. in Marriage and Family Therapy with a specialization in Clinical Art Therapy from Loyola Marymount University, and I have accumulated over fifteen years of experience working professionally with children and families. 

 

Professionally, my clinical treatment experiences have included work with children diagnosed with a developmental delay, children and adults who have experienced trauma, children and caregivers experiencing foster placement, and families from a wide variety of cultural backgrounds. I have experience facilitating therapeutic sessions in both English and Spanish.

 

In 2011 and 2012, I had the privilege of training as a clinician and as a supervisor with the late Patricia Van Horn, Ph.D., who was one of the developers of the Evidence-Based Practice Child-Parent Psychotherapy. In addition to having held such positions as Birth to Five Specialist, Child-Parent Psychotherapy Lead, Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant, and Reflective Clinical Supervisor, I have also provided trainings on developmental screening practices to multidisciplinary audiences in support of increased screening for all children.