I have worked with families and adults for more than 15 years. My goal as a therapist is to help people develop healthier and happier relationships whether in childhood, adolescence or adulthood. The foundation of healthy relationships begins in early infancy and childhood. So, I developed a sub-specialty in working with very young children (ages 0-5) and helping parents develop strong and healthy relationships from the beginning. But people can make changes in their relationships at any point in life. I believe that people can have more satisfaction in their love and family relationships. I have helped many families, and I can help you, too.
Healthy relationships don’t come easy. They can be hard work for even those most skilled, but even harder if you’ve never been taught those skills throughout your childhood. You might have come from a dysfunctional family or experienced grief, loss, addiction, abuse or trauma. You might recognize the same dysfunctional patterns in your earlier life keep playing out in your relationships. Or you might not understand why you don’t feel happy. Instead, you feel depressed or anxious or lonely. Therapy can help you understand yourself, your family and your relationships. It can help you improve your awareness of unhealthy patterns and give you tools to rebuild healthier relationships for a more satisfying life. I can help you find more satisfaction in your relationships by helping to give you those skills. And if you are a parent, therapy can help you develop a different and even better relationship with your child than you ever imagined.
My approach to people’s problems is a relationship-based psychodynamic therapy model that focuses on self-awareness, insight and change in the context of relationships with others. It is a model that focuses on helping people reconnect in their relationships especially after a period in which things haven’t been going well.
I received my Bachelor’s of Sciences Degree in Psychology from UC Davis and I received my Master’s Degree in Marriage and Family Counseling from San Jose State University. After working with hundreds of families in several different public agencies and school-based settings, I pursued further training in Early Childhood Mental Health through the Harris Training program from Oakland Children’s Hospital in conjunction with Every Child Counts, Alameda County.
1. Check your insurance website to look for an in-network therapist.
2. Cross reference therapists on several websites to gather more information. For example, California (MFT) therapists are usually on https://www.psychologytoday.com or https://www.counselingcalifornia.com.
3. Ask your Primary Care Physician (PCP) or Family Medicine Doctor or friend for a referral. Doctors often have good referral lists. If you already have a trusted PCP or a trusted friend, ask them for a referral. They are likely to suggest someone that they have vetted out themselves and might even have experience with the person they are recommending.
4. Ask your insurance company for help in finding someone. Simply call your insurance company and speak to a customer service representative.
5. Ask for a one-time agreement. If your insurance company or Employee Assistance Program is not as popular in your area, ask your insurance company if they do “one- time agreements.” These agreements are contracts between your insurance and a therapist who is out of your network. The therapist is willing and able to work with you for a contracted rate that your insurance will pay. The insurance company must initiate the agreement. Keep in mind that one-time agreements usually expire and you should begin to look for a new therapist a month or two before your sessions run out.
6. Your therapist must be licensed within your state. Therapists are only legally allowed to provide services in the state that they are licensed. You can check with your state licensing board to see if someone is licensed. Also, don’t fall prey to people who are “coaching” but offering psychotherapy. They might not be licensed. Coaches should not be treating mental health and relationship issues.
7. You can see a therapist outside of your insurance network. After you have exhausted all options, consider if you’d like to go out of your network and pay out of pocket. Know your budget or if you need to find a therapist with a sliding scale.
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