My Qualifications
• Licensed Clinical Social Worker
• Certified Gestalt Therapist
• Certified Imago Relationship Therapist
• Certified Somatic Experiencing Practitioner
• Certified Brainspotting Therapist
• Certified EMDR Therapist
What makes me qualified to support and help you to deal with your issues and concerns? Most importantly, since attending my first Gestalt therapy group when I was in my twenties, I have made it a priority throughout my adult life to deal with my own issues and concerns. Relationships often challenge us, but also help us see where we need to grow. Being in a long term marital relationship and having children has definitely challenged me at times, but these relationships have been the most rewarding and growthful aspects of my life. All of the professional qualifications in the world could not have taught me what I have learned as a spouse and mother. However, I believe that professional trainings, classes, and workshops are also extremely important in helping me to have the skills and ability to be present with you on your path of growth and well being. If you’d like to read about my credentials and professional qualifications, a more thorough description follows.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Clinical Social Workers are usually psychotherapists who, like psychologists or psychiatrists, counsel people to deal with and solve problems. They are the largest mental-healthcare provider group in the U.S. Clinical Social Workers are educated at the master’s level (some hold doctorates), and are trained for years, under supervision from advanced professionals, to provide expert services. They use an approach that values each person as an individual, that considers the many factors that can create personal problems, and that helps individuals, couples, and families to reach the goal of health and well-being. The benefits that Clinical Social Workers can help people to achieve – coping with and resolving problems, better relationships and physical health, greater productivity, and peace of mind – can be life changing. Clinical Social Workers are experts at helping people to deal with personal and inter-personal issues and with matters relating to workplace, family, race, culture, and community. They offer services in a very wide range of treatment areas, of which I specialize in some of the following:
- Family of Origin Issues
- Marital/Relationship Issues
- Anxiety
- Depression
- Eating Disorders/Body Image Issues
- Trauma & Post-traumatic Stress (PTSD)
- Men’s Issues
- Women’s Issues
- Life Transitions
- Grief & Loss
In order to practice professionally, a Clinical Social Worker, after graduate school and years of supervision, must have a state-issued license, which protects the public and ensures that minimal standards of competency are met. At the advanced level of practice, Clinical Social Workers may earn a national certification called The Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work (BCD), issued by the American Board of Examiners in Clinical Social Work, which is a strong statement about the clinician’s commitment to advanced practice. Every year, Board Certified Diplomates attest to being current in practice, state-licensed, and knowledgeable about new developments in treatment and skills. Board Certified Diplomates are among the leaders in their field. Most of them have a minimum of 15 years of post-graduate experience, and none has less than five years. I am a Board Certified Diplomate with twenty five years of post graduate experience.
Gestalt Certification
I was certified by the Gestalt Institute of Denver in 1983 after completing the basic training program, including a comprehensive educational experience in the principles and practices of the Gestalt approach to therapy and growth. I have completed additional training in Reichian/Bioenergetic work and characterological work, studying the five character structures (schizoid, oral, psychopathic, masochistic, and rigid).
Imago Certification
As a certified Imago therapist, I have completed the required 96 hours of clinical training in Imago Relationship Therapy in 1995, which includes demonstrating competence in Imago Relationship Theory and Therapy. I have also done advanced trainings in IRT.
Somatic Experiencing (SE) Practitioner
As an SE Practitioner, I completed a three year SE training and was certified by the Foundation for Human Enrichment in 2005. In addition to becoming an SE Practitioner and integrating SE into my psychotherapy practice, I have assisted Peter Levine in Advanced SE trainings in Estes Park and in Brazil and Diane Heller with Beginning and Intermediate SE trainings in Boulder and in Italy.
Brainspotting Certification
I was trained by David Grand, Ph.D., the developer of Brainspotting and by Lisa Schwarz, M.Ed., Psychologist and Master Trainer. I completed both Phase I and Phase II trainings in 2008, and continue to participate in a monthly study group on trauma and Brainspotting.