I earned my Bachelor's degree in Social Work from California State College at Long Beach. I received my MSW from California State University Fresno. Shortly after this I moved to Baltimore, Maryland, where I went to work as a Medical Social Worker in an acute care hospital. After a few years I was invited to help set up the first hand trauma unit in the US. For the next six years I helped establish the role of Psychiatric Social Worker in the Raymond M. Curtis Hand Trauma Center.

During this time I studied hypnosis, both traditional hypnotherapy and Ericksonian, and I began to use these techniques with hand patients as an alternative to pain medications. Many patients were trapped in "the cycle of pain", i.e. more pain leading to more medication, leading to more pain, leading to more medication, etc. This experience helped me learn a great deal about post-traumatic stress and begin to see the connection between mind, body and spirit.

My experiences taught me much about both the strengths and limitations of western medicine. In the fall of 1983 I expanded my private practice to full time and left my position at the hand center. I began my own personal exploration of alternative approaches to emotional healing. I also began to explore energetic healing methods. In 1984 I studied Mari-EL (a hands on healing technique) with Ethel Lombardi, a Reiki Master and founder of Mari-EL. (Here are links for an international directory of Reiki, NLP, and Time Line Therapy practitioners.)

To backtrack, during my years as a Medical Social Worker I met and diagnosed my first client with Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD), later called Dissociative Identity Disorder. At that time very few clinicians were recognizing this diagnosis, much less working with anyone with the diagnosis. In 1983 I began seeing her in my private practice and applying my experience with PTSD and my training in hypnosis. Over the following five years, we were able to achieve full integration of all her ego states.

Fortunately during this time I was able to locate two study groups for MPD. The first located in Bethesda, Maryland, was led by Frank Putnam, MD., who is an internationally respected expert in the field. The second, a few years later, was led by Richard Lowenstein, MD., Director of the Trauma Disorders Programs at Sheppard Pratt Hospital.

By this time, I had worked with many Dissociative clients as well as with practitioners seeking consultation. Thanks to my experiences with Dissociative clients, the two study groups, and numerous workshops, I developed an expertise. While I currently limit my practice to about 40% Dissociative clients, I continue to do consultation with practitioners needing guidance when working with Dissociative Disorders.

In 1993 I moved to the Northwest and began to more actively integrate energetic modalities into my practice. In 1994 I took Level I and II training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR). I also became a Reiki Master. Over the next several years I studied Thought Field Therapy™, (TFT), Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP), and Healing From the Body Level Up™ (HBLU™). The integration of these more energetic modalities with my many years of experience and the wonderful protocol of HBLU™ has shaped my practice today.

My treatment approach incorporates my basic belief that everyone has what they need to solve their own life problems. I view my role as one of assisting my clients in uncovering the blocks to achieving their goals. The process begins with an initial session assessing what the client is seeking and uncovering the resources they have to achieve their goals.

My offices are in Portland, Oregon, and Vancouver, Washington. I can be reached at (503) 417-8092 in Portland or in Vancouver at (360)690-1180. I can also be reached by e-mail.

DESIGN CREDIT: This background set and the coordinating one on other pages was created by Roxy at Autumn Web, as was the framed photo.