It was 1998 or ’99 and I recall I knew that I needed to do something different with my life, something true to who I was as a person. Call it a mid-life crisis. I had been a school teacher for eight years and a computer programmer since 1984 and I realized I did not wish to do this the rest of my life. In communicating with co-workers, I had come to discover that I had the gift to allow people to relax to the point where they were willing to share their most intimate details of their life. I realized that these people just wanted someone to listen to them with a non-judgmental ear. They wished to be heard and it was not happening at home.
With the children all grown up and capable of taking care of themselves, I had read about a path along the north of Spain called the Camino de Santiago de Compostela, also known as The Way. Though I had never backpacked, it was the life-changing journey I was looking for. Somehow, I managed to get the month off from work I needed to do this journey. It was like a power, greater than myself, had taken charge and gave permission to make this happen.
In the summer of 2002, with the support of my wife, the 500-mile journey started on the French side of the Pyrenees, through the Basque wine country, the wheat fields of central Spain and finally Compostela where a mass was held for all the pilgrims who made the journey. I met people from all corners of the globe and the best way to describe it was like “heaven on earth.” I spent many a mile walking alone contemplating how I was going to spend the rest of my life. It was not until I arrived home that I decided that being a therapist would be the greatest service I could provide.
I was fortunate to find Pacifica Graduate Institute which accommodated my work schedule. I met a fantastic group of like-minded individuals to accompany me on my trek toward licensure. It was an amazing experience. It was there that I really learned who I was and how I could be of service to others.
I am married almost 40 years and have two wonderful children, a son and a daughter. I have seen them through infancy, adolescence, the rebellious teen-age years, and young adulthood. My greatest achievement, however, is managing to help them reach a level of independence. I am aware of the strain that each of these stages can have on individuals trying to step out on their own, the couple and the tug-of-war that can be felt at each milestone and the family dynamics that arise from time-to-time.
My mission is to help individuals believe in themselves, couples to relate authentically to one another, and families to understand what it feels like to support one another .
Education
California State University, Northridge BA, Psychology
Pacifica Graduate Institute, MA Counseling Psychology
License, Certifications & Awards
MFC #51519
Professional Activities and Memberships
CAMFT, Marriage Friendly Therapists
Marriage Friendly Therapists