“The trouble with life is that you get all this experience”
I began the journey on becoming a psychotherapist as a young child by witnessing my mother gasp for air after spraying oven cleaner. I held my breath until she could breathe freely again. I later learned that she had asthma and allergies.
My observations multiplied when she would display evidence of anxiety over some very common but stressful situations that would arise, and her behaviors repeated throughout my life growing up. I began a quest to discover what caused these reactions in her and this has become a passion for me to help others today. I learned that fear is the root of anxiety and anxiety is coincidentally linked to asthma and allergies.
Through many years of training and experience helping others with anxiety I have witnessed it develop into various defense mechanisms, anger, panic attacks, and expanding into worsening health conditions. Whenever I sense vulnerabilities in myself I depend on these trainings to help me offset the likelihood of anxiety developing in myself. Why? Because if I don’t it will grow exponentially worse with the aging process. You, too, can prevent it from becoming worse due to aging and/or stress in your life.
Formal Education, Life and Work Experience
Psychotherapist: I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) #575 and a Certified Addictions Counselor, level III (CAC III) #6449 and registered with the state of Colorado. These credentials allow me to teach as well as supervise others coming into the Psychotherapy field.
I’m a graduate of the University of Denver (DU) with a Master’s Degree in Social Work. However, I began gaining invaluable experience serving seniors and the disabled as far back as 1974.
After obtaining my master’s degree I conducted individual and group counseling in an inner city mental health clinic in Denver known as Mental Health Center of Denver (MHCD) where I expanded my training to specialize in working with substance abusing, mentally ill and physically ill clients particularly with cancer or other autoimmune disorders. I also worked at locked psychiatric units at both our local Children’s Hospital of Denver, and Colorado Institute of Mental Health at Fort Logan, Colorado.
I have mentored teens in juvenile detention facilities as well as have been an emergency psychiatric evaluator in two local hospitals. I have lead DUI therapy groups as well as conduct Immigration Psychological Evaluations and Substance Abuse Evaluations for the courts on an as-needed basis. I shifted to seeing clients in private practice in 2007.
Professional Development Trainings:
- CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) Training 2002
- Couples Therapy Training 2002 as well as Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy 2014
- DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) Training 2003
- Motivational Interviewing Training 2003
- CAC (Certified Addictions Counselor) Training 2004-2007
- Suicide Prevention Training 2005
- Nutrition and Addiction Recovery Training 2005
- Supervision Training 2006
- EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprogramming) Training 2006
- EFT (Emotional Freedom Technique) Training 2007
- CHAANGE Anxiety Therapy Training 2008
- NLP (NeuroLinguistic Programming) Anchors and Scripts Training 2013
Business Experience
I have owned four small businesses and I have managed them during two recessions. I’ve had as many as 22 employees and have also worked as a solopreneur. But its not about me, except for the fact that I hope to help you feel confident that who you are hiring has life experience, intuition, and emotional intelligence as well as solid training to help you get through your personal set of issues. I can help you develop insight into your issues which at the same time will help prevent you from unraveling emotionally as we face your troubles and make a plan to change your resulting pattern to one you are more satisfied with.
Spiritually Speaking
I have formally studied Hinduism (through Self Realization) and informally studied Buddhism. I am a certified facilitator of A Course In Miracles which is a set of non-denominational Christian teachings that beautifully complement this east-west axis of philosophies as well as to the mind-body orientation in our therapy together. All three trainings incorporate and encourage meditation as a core concept.
Education
- Master’s of Social Work. University of Denver, 2003
- Bachelor of Arts, Major in Psychology, minor in Parent Education
Awards
- Won 1st place in the Judith Holm Memorial Student Award Program, a national writing contest in my master’s degree program at the University of Denver in 2003
- National Key Honor student
- Have been voted to Who’s Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges twice both in the 1972 -1973 school year and 1996 – 1997
Are you ready to free yourself from anxiety now?
If so, don’t suffer in silence another minute. Call me now for a free 15-minute phone consultation 303.269.1191 or click the schedule appointment button below.
