Licensed Clinical Psychologist PSY32346

Office Locations: Solana Beach (Fridays only)

Client Demographics: 

• Adults
• Young Adults
• Adolescents

Areas of Specialty:  

• Autism Spectrum Disorder
• Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder
• Anxiety 
• Depression
• Emotion Regulation
• Family/Parent Support 
• Interpersonal Difficulties 

Treatment Approaches: 

• Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)

What it’s like working with me: 

Whatever you may have seen in movies/TV depicting therapy is probably the exact opposite of what I do. I will seldom ask cliche therapy questions such as “how does that make you feel?” or ask you to try breathing/thinking positively. In fact, I can be quite direct and radically authentic in my approach. By no means am I rude or crass, rather I tend to practice therapy in ways that might surprise you. 

My biggest goal is to create a space where you will feel willing and able to recognize ineffective behavioral patterns. To do this, I will challenge you by setting limits and holding expectations designed to replace ineffective behaviors with more effective ones. You are a direct participant in that process and hold autonomy. Simply put, I cannot tell anybody what to do…although I will ask that you eat, sleep, and drink water! I respect your agency and always emphasize your right to make choices. However, I’d certainly like to help you make the most effective decisions. In Dialectical Behavior Therapy we believe pain is inevitable and the goal is to help you learn strategies for tolerating pain rather than creating a cycle of suffering.