CREDENTIALS/DISCIPLINE: I am licensed as a Marriage and Family Therapist through the California Board of Behavioral Sciences (MFC #47928). I hold an M.S. in Clinical Psychology from San Francisco State University and a B.A. in Psychology and Women’s Studies from Mills College.
BOARD CERTIFIED: Yes-California Board of Behavioral Sciences
Number of years treating patients with eating disorders: 20 years
Number of patients with eating disorders I treat annually: 15+
EDUCATION, TRAINING, and EXPERTISE: I have an M.S. in Clinical Psychology from San Francisco State University and have experience working in a variety of levels of care (inpatient, day treatment, intensive outpatient, and outpatient). While working at UCSD’s Eating Disorders Treatment and Research Program, I was one of the lead clinicians at on a multi-site NIMH study that compared two types of family therapy for adolescents with anorexia and was also a primary therapist in the week-long Intensive Multi-Family “Maudsley” Therapy program. I have been trained in FBT by Daniel le Grange at the Training Institute for Child and Adolescent Eating Disorders in addition to multi-family therapy approaches by Ivan Eisler. I have also done behavior therapy training through the International OCD Foundation and cognitive processing therapy at the La Jolla VA. I most recently served as the Clinical Director for New Dawn’s Sausalito Eating Disorders Day Treatment and Intensive Outpatient Programs and I am currently in private practice in both San Rafael and San Francisco.
TREATMENT PHILOSOPHY: I have an integrative approach that is rooted in solutions-focused and relational psychotherapy methods. I also strongly believe in collaborating with an experienced treatment team, which includes family members and carers. My therapeutic style is compassionate, curious, thoughtful, and guided by treatments that have been shown to be effective. Within this approach, my focus is on creating a trustworthy relationship and enhancing one’s strengths, skills, and motivation in order to make meaningful and lifelong changes.
I believe that recovery from an eating disorder is absolutely possible. When someone is recovered, not only are they restored back to physical health, their life is no longer absorbed by thoughts of one’s weight, shape, appearance, food intake, compulsive exercise, or “shoulds.” Instead, it is filled with meaningful relationships, pursuing passions, flexible and self-compassionate thinking patterns, solid physical and emotional self-care practices, and a lot more time for fun!
FEES: Cash, Credit Cards, Personal Checks, “Provider out of the network” in a PPO: Patient needs to apply for reimbursement.
INSURANCE: None accepted.