Licensed Marriage & Family Therapist
Growing up is
hard to do...
Thankfully, there is help.
Welcome!
Thank you for visiting my website. I appreciate your consideration of whether my psychotherapy and consultation services for families, marriages, and young adults may be right for you and/or your family. You may be a parent worried about your teenage son or daughter, a college student struggling to become independent, or an adult feeling “stuck” or unhappy in life. These are all very familiar experiences that I treat within my private practice. I specialize in helping individuals and families adapt, grow and thrive over time.
These years are often the most stressful developmental stage
for families and are even more so today. Today’s teens are more stressed, anxious and depressed than at any other time in history. Known as the iGen generation (Twenge, 2017), teens and their families are experiencing new
challenges that require us to change how we understand this stage. There are distinct shifts in how today’s teens are growing up and how it expresses in their behaviors. These shifts include that they are the first generation
growing up completely immersed in the use of technology, smart phones and social media. You may be questioning what is considered “normal” behavior for today’s teens. Drawing on what was typical for your own experience growing up no longer works. Given how much adolescent norms are changing, how do you know what is typical for this stage or if there are signs of potentially more serious problems? Also, adolescent developmental
needs often collide with those of their parents placing stress on the family as a whole system– it’s the “perfect storm” for conflict and tension. So, you may find that your family is experiencing more arguments and power struggles at home. It is very common to reach out for help and guidance during these years and it is my pleasure to offer you my expertise.
When it comes to transitioning into adulthood, the age-old
standard, "When you're 18 you're on your own" no longer fits. Today’s
journey towards independence is longer and requires more support. You may find yourself feeling disappointed, frustrated or confused at your or your family member’s process of transitioning into being an adult. You may
be experiencing challenges in changing friendships, romantic relationships and family pressures. “Launching" into adulthood is now complicated by new educational, cultural and socio-economic realities unique to today’s
young adults, also known as the Millennial generation, that extend the dependence on family support and creates new developmental challenges for yourself/your family to understand and meet. Developmental theorist Dr.
Jeffrey Arnett has helped classify these new realities into what is now known as "Emergent Adulthood” tasks. I can help you and/or your family understand and thrive through these new developmental norms.
Additionally, I enjoy working with counseling adults of any age that could benefit from my services – after all, “growing up” isn’t determined by chronological age – but rather the life experiences we have that inhibit or promote our growth from one stage to the next. Have you ever felt the disparity between chronological and developmental age in someone or yourself? You have if you’ve ever found yourself questioning why some circumstances or being around certain people make you feel like you’re 10 all over again! These “flags” just help us to know that there is still growing up to be done - work to do! While this experience is normal, it does often require help from a professional to work through. Flags often show up in our
present lives as struggles - with emotions (i.e., anxiety, depression,
excessive anger), relationships, school and/or job performance, self-care, and addictions. Psychotherapy can immediately help to recognize and understand those flags and we can work on how to shift them into
opportunities for healing and growth in your life.
"Be bold enough to use your voice,
brave enough to listen to your heart,
and strong enough to live the life you've always imagined."
Reach out! (310) 938-4555