I believe that therapy should be an opportunity to discover and resolve obstacles that are preventing a person from living the life they desire. I believe people have almost an unlimited ability to self-actualize and become their best self. I experience this daily, with clients, as they work through their struggles and how it impacts the people closest to them. I have been fortunate to work with many people who have been affected by these struggles and their motivation to get better, helps me help them. My clients’ strength and courage, encourages me to work with people all over the world, due to their motivation to get better, and not be stuck. With the current technologies being available to us, I am now able to offer my services to those in California and around the world, in these uncertain times
When I begin a session with you, I want to present myself as a real person. I want to create a situation where you feel comfortable being yourself, and communicate whatever is going on. I will observe closely, being as present as possible, and putting you at ease. I will listen carefully and respond when appropriate. I may ask questions or make interpretations about what we talk about, but most importantly I want you to feel free to say whatever is on your mind. I want to establish a trusting relationship so we can begin to work on your issues. It is important to me to be honest, to be real. I want to communicate that I am a strong, caring professional with good education and experience, as a therapist.
I am a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) and have worked in the mental health field in Southern California for over 35 years. I received a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Cambridge Graduate School of Psychology in 1991, and completed four years of training as a candidate at the Los Angeles Institute and Society for Psychoanalytic Studies (L.A.I.S.P.S.).
I am a Vietnam Combat Veteran and have extensive experience with many forms of PTSD. I have lectured and conducted workshops on a variety of subjects relating to addiction, and severe mental illness. I was very active in the early years of H.I.V. treatment and served as an expert witness in legal cases and have made several media appearances.
I have a strong need for self-knowledge and a fascination with understanding others. I became a therapist because of a desire to help other people understand and overcome their difficulties. Throughout my early studies in psychology, I had occasion to read portions of Freud's work and found it extremely insightful. In my doctoral program I was re-introduced to Freud. At this time I found his writings to be easier to understand and I read much of his original works. This was the beginning of my current interest in Psychoanalytic and Existential/Humanistic thinking.
Viktor Frankl was an Austrian psychiatrist, author, and Holocaust survivor. I attended 2 conferences at which he presented. He had a tremendous impact on me personally and professionally, as a clinician. He said, “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”
In my free time:
I started playing drums when I was 14 years old. It has always been an enjoyable part of my life. Percussion is a way to express emotions and release tension. Sometimes playing the drums creates moods that I do not expect. Drums are sheer, primal power, and are an important part of music, art, and spiritual practices, all over the world. When you participate in percussion, you can feel yourself connecting with the spirit of life that has moved souls in people since time immemorial.
I also love photography. I like shooting landscapes and street scenes. Taking pictures shows me the colorful, intricacies of life. It is thrilling when I am composing a shot, and focusing on how to get the best picture, I also like the artistic freedom that I get from it. I can take a picture of anything and make it look even better with the way I manage the settings on my camera or with post-processing.
Plans for the future:
My professional plans for the future are to continue doing psychotherapy, playing drums and doing photography. I would like to occasionally teach a class and do supervision for new graduate students entering the field. Personally, I want to continue to have more insight into myself and work on my 'self’'. I want to grow old with my wife and be an example for my grandkids. I expect to live in California, and am determined to stay fit and healthy.
When I begin a session with you, I want to present myself as a real person. I want to create a situation where you feel comfortable being yourself, and communicate whatever is going on. I will observe closely, being as present as possible, and putting you at ease. I will listen carefully and respond when appropriate. I may ask questions or make interpretations about what we talk about, but most importantly I want you to feel free to say whatever is on your mind. I want to establish a trusting relationship so we can begin to work on your issues. It is important to me to be honest, to be real. I want to communicate that I am a strong, caring professional with good education and experience, as a therapist.
I am a licensed marriage and family therapist (LMFT) and have worked in the mental health field in Southern California for over 35 years. I received a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from Cambridge Graduate School of Psychology in 1991, and completed four years of training as a candidate at the Los Angeles Institute and Society for Psychoanalytic Studies (L.A.I.S.P.S.).
I am a Vietnam Combat Veteran and have extensive experience with many forms of PTSD. I have lectured and conducted workshops on a variety of subjects relating to addiction, and severe mental illness. I was very active in the early years of H.I.V. treatment and served as an expert witness in legal cases and have made several media appearances.
I have a strong need for self-knowledge and a fascination with understanding others. I became a therapist because of a desire to help other people understand and overcome their difficulties. Throughout my early studies in psychology, I had occasion to read portions of Freud's work and found it extremely insightful. In my doctoral program I was re-introduced to Freud. At this time I found his writings to be easier to understand and I read much of his original works. This was the beginning of my current interest in Psychoanalytic and Existential/Humanistic thinking.
Viktor Frankl was an Austrian psychiatrist, author, and Holocaust survivor. I attended 2 conferences at which he presented. He had a tremendous impact on me personally and professionally, as a clinician. He said, “When we are no longer able to change a situation, we are challenged to change ourselves.”
In my free time:
I started playing drums when I was 14 years old. It has always been an enjoyable part of my life. Percussion is a way to express emotions and release tension. Sometimes playing the drums creates moods that I do not expect. Drums are sheer, primal power, and are an important part of music, art, and spiritual practices, all over the world. When you participate in percussion, you can feel yourself connecting with the spirit of life that has moved souls in people since time immemorial.
I also love photography. I like shooting landscapes and street scenes. Taking pictures shows me the colorful, intricacies of life. It is thrilling when I am composing a shot, and focusing on how to get the best picture, I also like the artistic freedom that I get from it. I can take a picture of anything and make it look even better with the way I manage the settings on my camera or with post-processing.
Plans for the future:
My professional plans for the future are to continue doing psychotherapy, playing drums and doing photography. I would like to occasionally teach a class and do supervision for new graduate students entering the field. Personally, I want to continue to have more insight into myself and work on my 'self’'. I want to grow old with my wife and be an example for my grandkids. I expect to live in California, and am determined to stay fit and healthy.