 
As a therapist, I would describe myself as psychodynamic, developmental, systems
oriented, and eclectic. I believe that if a child's developmental needs are met by appropriate
and attentive parenting that the child's resulting curiosity will drive him/her to solve the
inevitable puzzles of growth and change. With experimentation, mistakes, and re-experimentation
until mastery occurs, the steps to maturity and life purpose emerge. The human being loves puzzles
and if one's needs are met, those puzzles are challenges that add value to one's life and the
lives of others.
When something interrupts the natural phases of growth in a child's development, like a trauma of
some kind or inappropriate behavior of a parent or others toward the child, then curiosity gets
diverted into solving the problems associated with that trauma or misguided behavior. The stage of
development the child is experiencing when the redirection occurs will determine how he/she will
attempt to solve the puzzle. Meanwhile, curiosity about the world unfolding in this emerging
person will cease.
Marshall McLuhan, back in the late 60's said: "We look at the present through a rear-view
mirror. We march backwards into the future." One of my philosophy professors in graduate
school said it this way: "Most of us live life as if driving forward at freeway speeds using the
rear-view mirror as our point of reference for steering." When something upsets our developmental
direction, we turn around and work on the resultant puzzle at the expense of the present and the
future.
My role as a therapist is to create a safe and trustworthy relationship to allow one to solve the
puzzles of his/her history. By becoming conscious in the present moment through integrating the
historical information and emotions resulting from the developmental interruption, a person can
return to being curious about the future.
Services Offered:
- Individual Counseling
- Couple's Counseling
- Family Counseling
- Group Counseling
Specialty Areas:
- Adolescent to Adult Men's Transition Issues
- Life and Career Issues for Middle Aged Men
Educational Background:
- 1967: B.A., Speech, Drama, Rhetoric & Public Address, California State, Hayward
- 1974: M.S., Social Welfare & Correctional Counseling, California State, Chico
- 1984 - 1986: Graduate Studies in Family Psychology, California School of Family
Psychology
Work Experience:
- 1974 - 1980: Clinical Director, Horizons Youth and Family Services Project, Livermore
- 1980 - 1999: Private Practice with individuals, couples and families
- 1999 - 2003: Corporate Consulting - Executive Coaching, Team Building and Career
Development
- 2004 - Present: Private practice in Petaluma and Santa Rosa, California
Additional Training and Certification:
- 1977: California, Licensed Marriage, Family & Child Counseling License
- 1985: California State Certification to practice hypnotherapy
- 8 years of training at the Family Therapy Center, San Francisco
- Certification in the Birkman Method® for business development, executive coaching and
team building
- Advanced Training in the use of Taylor Protocol's, Core Value Index®
About my experience:
Early in my career I was interested in working with adolescents and thought that
teaching speech and drama in high school would be a way of making a contribution. While attending
California State University in Chico, working on a teaching credential, I discovered the Master of
Social Welfare and Correctional Counseling Program. I was drawn to the focus on rehabilitation
through early intervention with minor legal offenders using family counseling. My internship was
in Contra Costa County's Probation Department in a special unit that worked with the families of
young people in trouble with the law. I discovered that the application of family therapy with
adolescent youth worked because most often, youth were in trouble for "acting out" feelings that
were being generated by serious issues within their families. Effective work resulted in a youth
not going deeper into the correctional system.
My first job after my master's degree, was directing a youth diversion clinic in the Livermore
Police Department. For the next six years, I continued to be impressed by how effective the
diversion via family therapy approach was. The clinic maintained an 85% rate of non-recidivism
over five years with first time youthful offenders.
In 1980, I left diversion work to develop a private practice as a therapist and continue my work
with families, couples and individuals at various locations throughout the Bay Area.
After 20 years of working as a therapist in private practice, I took my "systems" training in
individual and family therapy and developed a business management consulting company with a focus
on executive coaching and team building. I enjoyed working with executive leadership and senior
managers in a number of large technology corporations, a national law firm and several start-up
companies. This work went well until the economy weakened and the consulting business became more
difficult.
In 2004, after careful thought, I decided to return to private practice with renewed energy for
the work of therapy and solving the puzzles of the past, present and future.
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