MY STORY

For the last 32 years I have worked as a social worker, life coach and therapist with children, adolescents and adults. Since I was a child I knew that I wanted to be a counselor helping others in their time of need.

At some point in life's journey you may experience a time where you feel you may benefit from some extra support and guidance, let me help you on the road to hope and healing. I believe in a mutual therapeutic relationship working together as a team towards the client's goals. Starting therapy and sharing issues that have become challenging is a hard and yet courageous step in your healing process. As a therapist I am honored to be able to share in this journey and hold the emotions that come with this.

I consider myself to be an eclectic therapist, taking into consideration the individuals uniqueness and needs before implementing techniques and strategies. I use an honest and direct approach in a non-judgemental and compassionate way. With the help of different modalities CBT, Mindfulness, Solution Focused and EMDR I can help you find a path toward inner peace and joy.

Professionally, I earned a BA in Psychology with a minor in Criminal Justice from West Chester University in 1990 and earned a Masters in Social Work from Temple University in 1995. I received extensive post masters training in child development, sandtray and play therapy. Other certifications include Bereavement Counselor and Clinical Trauma Professional. I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Pennsylvania and a Licensed Independent Clinical Social Worker in Massachusetts.

I have developed many workshops and trainings in a variety of areas and have presented at conferences, trainings, webinars, community agencies, churches and schools. Some of the trainings and workshops develop include: Child Focused CoParenting Course; Child Development, Play Therapy and Sand Play; How to Identify, Assist and Refer Students to Counseling; Working With The Spirited Child; Loss and Grief with Children and Teens; The Three B’s: The Bully, The Bullied and The Bystander; and Relational Aggression.

For the past 29 years I have been actively involved in suicide awareness, prevention and postvention. This journey has taken me across the US advocating for change, speaking on the topic and training others. I co-coordinated the first Survivors of Suicide Conference in Philadelphia and was an original board member of the Philadelphia Chapter of American Foundation of Suicide Prevention and was a driving force behind bringing a chapter to Philadelphia. I was a member of SPAN USA, Suicide Prevention Action Network, which has since merged with AFSP and I'm the community quilt organizer for LifeKeeper Memory Quilt. I was also the co-founder of the Delaware County Suicide Awareness and Prevention Task Force, as well as the founder and coordinator for the Annual Candlelight Vigil for those Left Behind to Suicide which has been held for 21 years. Some of the trainings and topics that I have presented on are: Suicide Awareness and Prevention; A Promise for Tomorrow: A Teen Suicide Prevention Program; Suicide & Suicide Loss: What Providers Need to Know; Suicide Loss of a Client and/or Student: What about Me??; How to Facilitate a Survivors of Suicide Group; Suicide Loss: What the Clergy and Pastoral Counselors Need to Know; and Suicide & Suicide Loss: What the Faith Community Need to Know.

Fun Fact: I am also a Certified Speed & Agility Coach! On the side I coach athletes and teams as well as coach track in the spring at a local high school. I work with athletes on the mental aspect of their sport as well. This is a true passion of mine - "Train Your Mind Like You Train Your Body". Here is an article I wrote on the topic:

https://simplifaster.com/articles/mental-skills-training-keys/