About

We all need relationships to thrive. Yet sometimes relationships can be a source of turmoil. Whether you’re struggling to save your marriage or trying to negotiate a divorce, this emotional strain can make it difficult to find the best way forward.

As a licensed psychologist with 20 years of experience in maintaining and changing relationships, I help couples and individuals manage their negative feelings and focus on positive solutions.

There are many stressors that can affect a marriage or relationship. Whether you are struggling with infidelity, sexual issues, disappointment, strained expectations, etc., we can work together to discover new ways of understanding the disconnection you are feeling and find clarity in how you might open your hearts to each other again. I will work with you to rebuild the intimacy, trust and communication in your relationship.

Although divorce and other major upheavals can have an enormous impact on children, research shows the absence of conflict goes a long way toward enhancing children’s natural resiliency. I’ll help you navigate the transition from a pre-divorce to a post-divorce family, assisting both with deep emotions and court orders. How your family makes this important transition is highly individualized. Together, we’ll discover a better way forward.

My goal is to help you:

• function after the “crisis”
• decrease conflict with your ex
• embrace a long-term perspective
• discover beneficial custody and co-parenting arrangements

Professional Affiliations:

• Integrative Mediation Bay Area – Board Member
• Contra Costa Psychological Association
• Alameda County Psychological Association
• Association of Family and Conciliation Courts (AFCC)
• AFCC-California

Presentations:

“Divorce Options”, Diablo Valley College, September 10, 2011, Pleasant Hill, CA

“Divorce Options”, Diablo Valley College, June 11, 2011, Pleasant Hill, CA

“Best Interests of the Child: Divorce American Style” at the Contra Costa County Psychological Association Quarterly Meeting, October 28, 2009 in Lafayette, CA

“Communicating for Results” at the California Association of Legal Document Assistants – Alameda County Chapter Monthly Meeting, June 18, 2009 in Hayward, CA

“Communicating for Results” at the County of Alameda Family and Children’s Bureau,  Facilitated Discussions for Family and Juvenile Law Professionals monthly meeting, April 7, 2009 in Hayward, CA

“Collaborative Divorce” at the Alameda County Family Law Association monthly meeting, January 14, 2009 in Oakland, CA

“Psychological Interventions in the Family Law System” at the Contra Costa County Bar Association MCLE Spectacular, November, 17, 2006 in Walnut Creek, CA

“Co-parenting Counseling” presented at the Family Law Section-Custody Issues Committee monthly meeting, January 18, 2006 in Martinez, CA

“Clinical Approaches to High Conflict Couples” presented at Contra Costa Psychological Association Quarterly Meeting, September 14, 2005 in Lafayette, CA

“Co-parenting Counseling” presented at California’s Best: Interdisciplinary Expertise, Experience and Excellence, Association of Family and Conciliation Courts , California Chapter Conference, February 13, 2005 in Sonoma, CA

“Co-parenting Counseling” presented at the Association of Family and Conciliation Courts Sixth Annual Symposium on Child Custody Evaluations, October 16, 2004 in Nashville, TN