about me

I view myself and you, the client, as pilgrims on a journey together, exploring the known and unknown territories of your life. Patterns of behavior and belief which inhibit your fullest expression and experience of aliveness, are likely to have been developed in childhood. Together we search through your history to understand more about how you think and feel. Although you may have learned in your family to suppress your feelings, you can begin to know more about yourself in an atmosphere of acceptance.

Therapy is interactive; both of us pay attention to the reactions we have to one another and try to learn through our interaction itself what may be impeding your satisfaction in relationships. You may be surprised how fascinating you are when you get to know your authentic self.

Because my dedication is to work only for my clients and to guard their confidentiality as my ethics mandate, I do not participate with any managed care or insurance plans. Many insurance companies do reimburse my clients for their therapy, and if treatment plans are necessary in order for them to access their insurance benefits, I complete them, but I do not try to serve two masters. You can be confident that I am committed only to your interests.

A Brief Biography

Since 1977 when I received my Master's Degree from The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, I have been a psychotherapist in private practice, counseling individuals, couples, and families and providing group therapy for adults and adolescents. Since 1982, I have been a Licensed Clinical Social Worker.

I am a Certified Group Psychotherapist and a frequent leader of small groups at meetings of The American Academy of Psychotherapists and the Mid-Atlantic Group Psychotherapy Society. I was also a small group leader several times in The University Of Maryland School of Medicine Intimate Human Behavior Program, and in 2009-2010, co-led a group for The Relational Perspectives Institute sponsored by The Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis. For many years, I served as facilitator for on-going support groups for young people affected by cancer, sponsored by the Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults.

I have three times been Named Columbia's Best Therapist by Columbia Magazine.

I served as Ethics Committee Chair for the Maryland Society for Clinical Social Work. I was Secretary and subsequently, a member of Executive Council for American Academy of Psychotherapists, and I am currently on the Academy's Membership Committee. I am a long-time member of The Mid-Atlantic Group Psychotherapy Society and of The American Group Psychotherapy Association.

I have taught at the Traditional Acupuncture Institute and in the Women's Studies Departments of area colleges. I served on the Steven Daniel Jeffreys Foundation's Loss and Change in the Workplace Committee.

I served on the boards of directors of the Howard County Mental Health Association, Citizens Against Spousal Assault, the American Mental Health Counselors Association, the Advisory Board of the The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults, and The Emerging Women, Inc. At the request of the County Executive, I was a participant in the 1989 Howard County Drug Summit.