I am a Marriage and Family Therapist in private practice in Northampton, MA with 25 years experience in the field. I have used my family systems orientation over the years to work with individuals, couples, and families on a wide range of issues in both a clinic setting and in private practice.
Historically, my particular areas of interest have been Bowen family systems theory, trauma within families, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). I have presented at three EMDR International Association conferences my work on integrating these fields, and gave the plenary session at a regional EMDRIA event on trauma and the family system. I have written a chapter called “Integrating EMDR and Bowen Theory in Treating Chronic Relationship Dysfunction,” for the Handbook of EMDR and Family Therapy Processes, published in 2007.
Most recently, I have embraced the study and practice of Emotionally Focused Therapy as a primary modality for working with couples following my first training externship with Dr. Susan Johnson in June 2009. As of September 2011, I became a certified EFT therapist.
I earned a masters degree in Counseling and Consulting Psychology from the Harvard Graduate School of Education in 1984. From there I attended a two-year certificate program at the Kantor Family Institute in family therapy. I developed an interest in family related trauma in the 1990′s, and sought out training in hypnosis and EMDR in order to learn to address unspoken emotional states. I completed EMDR training in 1997 and became an EMDR Institute Facilitator in 1999. As a way of staying abreast family systems theory as I sought to integrate an intrapsychic trauma-based model with my background in family systems, I completed a year long Post-Graduate Program at the Bowen Center for the Study of the Family in 2008.
I have been a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in Massachusetts since 1991, an EMDRIA Approved Consultant since 2000, and an EFT certified therapist since 2011. I am currently the President Elect of the Massachusetts Association of Marriage and Family Therapy.