My passion is providing the best evidence based treatment for Anxiety, OCD, Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors and related disorders. I have been a specialist in this field since 2013. Prior to this I treated eating disorders for over 20 years, and in doing so learned about the lesser known subtypes of OCD. After seeing the suffering that OCD caused, I wanted to learn how to treat this disorder.

Training

• Behavioral Therapy Training Institute (BTTI)
• OCD Center of Los Angeles
• TLC Foundation for Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs)
• ADHD-Certified Clinical Services Provider (ADHD-CCSP)

At the BTTI I was trained, supervised and certified to treat OCD and related disorders.

At OCD Center of Los Angeles I worked for over six years with hundreds of clients with a range of obsessive compulsive spectrum disorders such as all types of OCD, Generalized Anxiety Disorder and I am a certified graduate of the Virtual Professional Training Institute (VPTI) at the TLC Foundation for Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors (BFRBs). I worked with adults, adolescents and children.

Education and Previous Experience

I have been a licensed psychotherapist since 1988 – first in Michigan as a psychologist and since 1990, as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in California. After completing my Bachelor’s degree at Southern Illinois University, I received my Master’s Degree in Clinical Psychology from Eastern Illinois University, where my published thesis was a study on domestic violence.

In graduate school I worked as a Behavior Analyst collaborating with teachers and parents to help children with behavior disorders, and upon graduating was licensed in Michigan and worked as a psychologist developing behavior plans for children with emotional and developmental disabilities. During this time I received advanced training to treat eating disorders and was in private practice as an Eating Disorder Specialist. For years I specialized in treating Anorexia, Bulimia and Compulsive Eating. I have worked as a group and individual therapist in multiple settings including an out-patient psychiatric clinic, a residential treatment facility for adolescents, and an in-patient psychiatric hospital.

Professional Memberships

I am a member of the following professional groups:

International OCD Foundation

TLC Foundation for Body Focused Repetitive Behaviors

California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists

Santa Barbara Association of Marriage and Family Therapists

Past board member of the Central Coast Chapter of the International Eating Disorder Association