Biographical Information

Here are some highlights from my career.  I have:

• Prevented hundreds of people from losing their jobs (or minds!) as a result of personal/behavioral problems like depression, anxiety, unmanaged anger or substance abuse
• Conducted dozens of seminars on stress management, substance abuse, dealing with difficult people, and other behavioral topics
• Established and directed an employee assistance program for the faculty and staff of a large Bay Area university
• Coordinated an employee assistance program for a major utility company in Northern California
• Maintained a private psychotherapy practice since 1992
  

Education and Credentials

• Masters degree in Social Welfare from the University of California, Berkeley
• Bachelors degree in Social Ecology from UC Irvine
• Licensed as a Clinical Social Worker in California since 1987
• Certified Employee Assistance Professional, 1987 - 1997
• DOT-qualified Substance Abuse Professional, 2003 - 2011
• Board Certified Diplomate in Clinical Social Work since 2007
• Training in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy since 2009

What is an LCSW?

Clients often ask me this question. An LCSW (licensed clinical social worker) is a mental health professional who has had at least 3,000 hours of supervised clinical training after receiving a master's degree from an accredited school of social work. LCSWs don't do testing like psychologists; can't prescribe medication like psychiatrists; and tend to have more training in community mental health and medical settings than marriage and family therapists. I passed both written and oral exams to become licensed, and must attend 30 hours of clinical continuing education every two years to maintain my license (plus additional coursework for my BCD credential).

Business Experience

I've been a business consultant and coach for over 20 years. I've taught continuing education classes for attorneys on stress and substance abuse since 1995. I have held a variety of positions in the Employee Assistance Program field: counselor, trainer, account manager, clinical supervisor, program director and external consultant. My business experience includes being laid off, fired, and as a manager, having to terminate others' employment. I have worked in small companies, large corporations, hospitals, universities, and community mental health centers.

Counseling Experience

I've also been a psychotherapist in private practice for 20 years, where I've had the great privilege of counseling hundreds of individuals and dozens of couples. As an EAP counselor I provided brief therapeutic interventions for people in many kinds of work environments. I've conducted numerous group debriefings following traumatic incidents in the workplace, such as bomb threats, robberies and employee deaths. I have been a member of a mobile crisis intervention team, and have worked in psychiatric as well as substance abuse treatment programs. And I've also had experience with being in therapy myself.