User Profile

I am a therapist (LCSW) in San Diego who has a growing clientele of transguys. Part of being an effective ally (as I see it) includes learning as much about this community as I can. Reading the posts has been helpful to see what issues arise most often and also to get more resources. Thanks for letting me be a part of your community!

I had added my website, then took it down... I decided instead to just paste in some pertinent information from my website to this profile.

About Me

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a private practice office near Hillcrest/Balboa Park, where I offer therapy with adult individuals, couples, family, and play therapy for children. I earned my Bachelors Degree in Psychology at the University of California at Santa Barbara and my Masters in Social Work at San Diego State University. I am a member of the National Association of Social Workers (NASW) and the California Association of Clinical Social Workers (CSCSW).
Prior to private practice, I worked at a Residential Treatment Facility for severely emotionally disturbed children, and then at the Naval Medical Center San Diego, offering family and individual therapy to dependents of navy personnel.
I specialize in therapy with children, and utilize a variety of techniques to help them engage in the therapeutic process. I have worked with many children with abuse histories, emotional/behavioral problems, and numerous families facing overwhelming stressors. In addition to helping children recover from abuse, I am also proficient in working with children with social skills problems or delays, ADHD, and anger issues. I assist parents in learning parenting techniques to meet their child’s particular needs. Family therapy is available to those who would like all family members to be involved in healing or changing problematic patterns of interacting with each other.
Although I specialize in working with children, I also work with adult individuals and couples. I find that my warm and empathic approach that works so well with children also helps to create a safe, therapeutic environment for adults which promotes progress in therapy. I have worked with individuals who are struggling with anxiety, depression, life changes, and relationship problems.
I believe in the healing power of laughter and focusing on the strengths of the client. My services with adults can range from short-term problem-solving interventions to more in-depth psychotherapy or relationship exploration.

Gender Therapy

For the past two years, I have been working with individuals who identify as transgender, primarily Female to Male.

I feel my primary purpose in working with such clients is to support the decisions they make about their identities and transitions, as well as help them find confidence in themselves and their choices. I have a thorough understanding of gender identity issues, including the difference between gender and sexual identity. I believe that most individuals seeking therapy for gender issues and possibly pursuing transition can benefit from exploring their inherent strengths and resources, as well as addressing any distressing symptoms that arise from this difficult process. I can also help with managing conflicts that may arise in interpersonal relationships.
I am connected with the larger transgender community through my collaboration with Project STAR (Supporting Transgender Access to Resources) and the Care Managers there. I also attend monthly FTMI meetings at the LGBT Center. I keep myself up-to-date on issues impacting the trans community, and recently attended the Gender Odyssey conference in Seattle. Additionally, I have resources available for my transgender clients, including the names and numbers of endocrinologists, gender clinics, and support groups, as well as recommendations for books and internet sites.

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