I have had a home on Shore Drive in Edgewater since 1991. It is such a pleasure to develop and psychotherapy practice here, and contribute to the well-being of our community in a very personal and meaningful way. I think therapy is about connecting with you in a non-judgmental, cooperative and friendly way. My life’s experience and clinical training gives me the capabilities to relate with you as a person, and see things from your perspective to quickly address your practical and emotional needs.
Overview
I have 31-years of experience as a research scientist, director and consultant at the National Institute of Mental Health and in the biotechnology industry. I graduated from the clinical psychotherapy program at Columbia University with training experience at the Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy and the Employee Development Center. My experience in Maryland includes the Corsica River Mental Health Services, the Center for Children in La Plata, Second Genesis and Tateioms. As a solution focused clinical, I am experienced in a range of therapeutic approaches, including mindfulness and DBT. I work in one-on-one sessions and run process, support, problem solving and substance abuse recovery groups.
Details
I was very fortunate to receive clinical training from the Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy and the Employee Development Center of the Cornell University School of Public Health in Manhattan where I served to address mood, personality and stress-related disorders, substance abuse and dependency, sexual dysfunction and couple relationship conflicts, extended grief, behavior problems, as well as employment-related issues, career challenges of adults and their families. This experience involved both individual counseling sessions as well as finding social support and family resources.
When I returned to Maryland, I served at three outpatient clinics: the Center for Children in La Plata, the Chester River Mental Health Center in Centerville and Tateioms in Laurel. I have worked with adults with worry, depression and anxiety related symptoms; OCD and phobias; unfulfilled emotional needs and life dissatisfaction; relationship conflicts; insomnia; as well as substance abuse problems. I worked with families on parent-child relationships; divorce, adoption, blending and sibling conflicts. With children and adolescents, I focused on ADHD; discipline problems at home and school; aggression-anger-oppositional-defiant behaviors; school performance and homework attitude issues; traumatic experiences; divorce, separation and grief related problems; OCD-related behaviors; self-esteem and bullying; self-harm and suicidality; drug and alcohol abuse. I also worked with voluntary and court-ordered adult and child victims of abuse, including supervised visitation.
I also adapted Dialectical Behavior Therapy-based treatment protocols in individual and youth group sessions to develop emotion regulation, distress tolerance and interpersonal relationship skills for adolescents with oppositional-defiance disorder, trauma or emotional development problems. With children and adolescents, I integrate parental goals.
I have worked at the J. DeWeese Carter Center in Chestertown, a residential program for adolescent girls in the care of the Department of Juvenile Services to addresses personality development disturbances; aggressive behaviors; self-harm behaviors; emotion and anger regulation problems; the impact of family conflicts and disruptions; as well as to process trauma-related problems. Group work involved the acquisition of anger management and conflict resolution skills.
I have also gained experience at Second Genesis in Crownsville, an adult inpatient substance and alcohol abuse treatment program for men and women. I use individual and group approaches (both 12-Step as well as motivational/harm-reduction approaches). My groups include ‘Motivation-to-Change’ ‘Seeking Safety’ and ‘Grief Resolution’ that address psychoeducation and refusal skills; PTSD-related issues for veterans; safety for women victims of domestic violence; as well as peer, self-help, processing and acceptance groups for bereavement, grief and trauma. Importantly, my work also focuses on the resolution of emotional and experiential drives to use, as well as the impact of depression and anxiety, in order to develop long-term solutions.
I thoroughly enjoy my work and want to help you.