Licensed Clinical Psychologist
Wexford & Robinson Township Offices
Direct: 724-759-7501
Phone: 724-759-7500 ext. 123
I am a licensed psychologist and a Certified Allied Addiction Practitioner (CAAP), in practice since 1988. I received my doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio, and my addiction certification from the Pennsylvania Certification Board in 1994. I am also an Associate Professor and Clinical Coordinator in the Master of Arts in Counseling Program at Waynesburg University, and an Adjunct Professor with Capella University. I enjoy teaching and training counselors and psychotherapists, and have been doing so since 1994 through a number of different schools and agencies.
I am a member of the American Counseling Association; the American Psychological Association; the Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (ACES) and the North Atlantic Region Association for Counselor Education and Supervision (NARACES); the Society for Psychotherapy Research (SPR); and the National Association of Cognitive Behavioral Therapists (NACBT). I am licensed as a Psychologist in Pennsylvania, and also hold the CAAP certification and the Approved Clinical Supervisor (ACS) certificate.
My therapy experience includes many years working with children, adolescents, adults, families, and couples. I was employed for nearly 20 years at a large mental health clinic where I worked with a wide range of people, from those with fairly mild adjustment problems to those suffering from chronic and persistent mental illnesses. Throughout my professional career, I have also worked with people who have substance use problems along with other disorders, and more recently have included “process addictions” such as problems with spending, eating, sex, gambling, and misuse of the Internet. Currently, I work with a number of clients who are involved in Suboxone treatment to resolve opiate dependencies and who require ongoing therapy during that process.
My foundational therapeutic approach is Person Centered, and I take a holistic perspective with my clients to address the health of body, mind, and spirit. I believe that a solid therapeutic relationship between client and therapist is a crucial part of the healing process, and that techniques and therapy approaches must “fit” the client in order to be effective—there is no “one size fits all” therapy. My goal, as a counselor and therapist, is to deeply understand my client, and when this happens we are able to identify areas of life that need to be changed, and ways of going about doing that. Therapy is a collaborative process between a trained therapist and a client who wants to change.
I am trained in a number of therapeutic modalities including Client Centered Therapy, Interpersonal Therapy, Psychodynamic Psychotherapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Existential Therapy, Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Motivational Interviewing, Strategic Therapy, Solution-Oriented Therapy, and Family Systems Therapy. I am comfortable working with the behaviors, feelings, thoughts, attitudes, and habits of those who wish to improve their lives. I am also open to those wishing to explore religious or spiritual aspects of their personalities as they work toward resolution of their life problems and disorders.
Some of the areas I frequently help clients with include:
Resolving anxiety problems, fears and phobias
Dealing effectively with traumatic life events
Depressed mood, hopelessness, helplessness
Lack of energy and motivation
Sadness, grief, loss
Changes in life, health, job, or family
Finding a direction in life
Relationship issues, break-ups, conflicts
Couples and family problems
Coping more effectively with stress
Learning to take care of yourself as well as others
Developing a healthy lifestyle to replace unhealthy behaviors
Problems with eating, sexual behaviors, spending, gambling, Internet use
Drug and alcohol use, misuse, abuse, and addiction problems
Problematic thoughts and beliefs that help maintain unhealthy habits
Problems with sleep, eating, relaxation
Getting along with others, making and maintaining friendships and relationships
Behavioral problems that interfere with personal or family functioning
Divorce, blended family, and family transition problems
Coping with an ongoing physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual concern
I offer therapy in our offices near Pittsburgh in Wexford and Robinson Township.
