Welcome

You are probably not looking at my website today because everything in your life, or in the life of a loved one is great. I offer either short or long term treatment depending on your goals. Today you are one step closer to the services designed to give you the motivation to learn and use methods and strategies I have to offer. You can learn to overcome recent and life long struggles with depression, anxiety, panic attacks, PTSD, habits/additions, and/or relationship and family problems. I also provide guidance to show you how to cope with normal reactions to grief, life transitions, general upsetting surprises in life and other normal, yet upsetting issues, usually without medication referrals.

Once your symptoms are eliminated and you have recovered, your symptoms will return. That's just life. I will provide you with the solution; relapse prevention (for all your problems, not just substance abuse). Some people believe when they are no longer depressed or anxious they are completely and forever cured and their symptoms will never return. That thinking is as crazy as saying you had the flu a year ago, were cured, and if you get the flu again in a year saying "I was never really cured because it's back again". My definition of a relapse is having the same negative symptoms you came to me with again, for five minutes or more. It happens to all of us. You will no longer have to suffer as you are now. You will quickly and effectively crush your negative thoughts and upsetting feelings . Whatever method we discover works for you, will always work for you. As a solution-focused Certified Level 3 TEAM-CBT therapist (T= testing, E= Empathy, Agenda Setting, Methods; C= Cognitive, B= Behavioral, T=Therapy), I employ many other approaches in addition to cognitive and behavioral methods. I use whatever method will work, selected for you and your problem, on an individual basis. My goal is to help you enjoy your true potential to lead a life of joy, optimism and happiness. While I can't change the difficult, upsetting and sometimes traumatic events in your past or present, we can work together to better understand and resolve the thought patterns resulting in your currently painful feelings and destructive behaviors. In most cases I will help you identify and achieve your goals in a relatively short period of time. Although many important events in your past will come up in the course of your treatment, however our focus will be on the here and now. A nonjudgmental understanding of you and your situation is necessary, however without methods and solutions developed specifically for you and your situation kindness and having a weekly session alone will not generally help you solve your problems. In order to achieve your stated goals you will be required to work hard, both in and between sessions. By "work", I am talking about paper/pencil activities, behavior changes, exposure, reading, listening to tapes, relationship exercises, monitoring thoughts and behaviors, listening to podcasts and other assorted activities.

Some of my clients prefer to know a few things about their therapist before calling or meeting with them. I was born in Turlock in 1955 and have lived from coast to coast. I returned to Turlock in 2001 after having finished my doctorate degree and working in sales and blue collar jobs, including carpenter work for 15 years. I went back to school in my late 30's and became a licensed psychologist in North Dakota in 1997. I have experienced many of the problems I now am able to help others with. Addiction, depression, family suicide, shyness, parenting issues, blended family issues, anxiety and relationship problems. I have been in private practice since 1997. I began my private practice in Jamestown, ND in 1998. I am retired from my position as a clinical staff psychologist in the California Department of Corrections, after a 17 year career. I currently live among the almond trees in the Delhi/Hilmar area. I enjoying horse camping in the wilderness areas around Yosemite and north of Dodge Ridge. I have served on the board of directors for the Backcountry Horseman of California-Midvally unit as well as Healing Arenas, a horse therapy organization that uses an EAGALA approach for psychotherapy.

I look forward to meeting with you to discover if we are a good fit for each other, if so, to help you find the joy, peace and satisfaction you are looking for.

I prefer initially communicating via email to avoid playing phone tag. My email address is [email protected] . Phone is 209-535-6617. I offer a Free consultation before scheduling our first session.