A
Better Life Counseling Service
I was raised by a psychologist and an electrical
engineer, both of whom taught me to want a world where everyone reaches
their full potential. Working to help people’s lives be better has always
been a natural perspective for me. For about twenty years, I did this
through community organizing and running social service programs or
agencies. Over the years, I worked for peace and justice, to end apartheid, providing food aid to people who were hungry,
shelter for people without homes, justice for gay and lesbian people, and with women and men who have been
sexually abused or are survivors of domestic violence.
An important thing that I learned working for social justice is that real
and lasting change in the world only happens when individuals are able to
change. Once I realized this, I decided to pursue my life-long interest in
psychology and became a therapist. While being a therapist is the most
personally rewarding work I have done, I am glad that I have had a career
out in the “real world” too. I think it is very beneficial to my clients
that I know what it is like to be part of a workplace, with all the fears,
struggles, joys and family pattern reenactments that happen there. I know
how it is to try and balance a private life and a work life, let alone find
the time to make healthy personal change.
As I believe every therapist should, I have also been a therapy client
myself. I learned as much from this work as I did during my graduate school
experience. Because of it, I know deep inside myself that true and lasting
change is possible. That each individual has the power to make the life they
really want for themselves.
From my graduate work, the extra training I have had in “Internal Family
Systems” therapy, and the wonderful things I continue to learn from my
clients, I have the tools to help you achieve the goals you have for
yourself. I hold a Masters degree in Applied Behavioral Science-Systems
Counseling from Bastyr University and am registered with the State of
Washington. My Bachelors is in International Relations, from Eastern
Washington University. I also spent two years at the Evergreen State College
and at Spokane Falls Community College, as an art student, when I was very
young.
