About

I am a SOLUTION-FOCUSED Psychologist, specializing in individual, couples and family therapy.  For the past 40 years, I have maintained an office in the Tampa Bay area.  I offer the opportunity to work together with you to explore more effective strategies for reaching your personal, family and career goals.

I use a variety of successful therapeutic techniques, to help you to enhance your relationships with others, resolve interpersonal conflicts, and overcome the barriers to reaching your full potential.  With years of experience and extensive training in Divorce and Family Mediation,  Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy and  Cognitive  Behavioral Therapy, I am well qualified to provide individual psychotherapy, couples therapy, family therapy and group therapy as may be needed during the course of treatment.

My special interest in working with children, adolescents and young adults with High Functioning Autism and Asperger’s Syndrome led me to the creation of The Planet Earth Relationship Center.  Over the past 20 years, I have provided counseling and social skills training at my center, utilizing  a new technique I developed called Puppet Assisted Relationship Therapy.  I co-authored the book  Puppet Assisted Relationship Therapy: a manual for teaching social skills to individuals with Asperger’s  Syndrome and related disorders.    I have presented at National and local seminars and was featured on local television and in the local newspaper. I also taught counseling classes for NOVA Southeastern University graduate school students.

I currently supervise License-seeking Marriage and Family Therapists, Clinical Social Workers, and Mental Health Counselors.

On a personal note, I am the proud mother of three, and grandmother of 5. I have successfully overcome the hurdles of divorce, remarriage and step parenting issues. My most recent passions are  traveling the world with my husband of 37 years, and tap dancing.   As a ten year post Barriatric surgical patient, I offer support for those contemplating Barriatric surgery and those working on and maintaining their weight loss.

I believe in  the power of a therapeutic relationship which values the uniqueness of the individual  and his/her  journey towards fulfillment

Education

Cornell University, BS in Child Development/Family Relations,
Rutgers University Graduate School of Social Work,  MSW
The Union Institute, Ph.D in Clinical Psychology

Licenses and Certifications

Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist  MT 1009
Licensed Clinical Social Worker SW 694
Supreme Court Certified Divorce and Family Mediator
Certified in Hypnosis and Hypnotherapy
Certified in Trauma Incidence Reduction
Certified in Rational Emotive Therapy and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy

Additional Training

Trauma Incident Reduction
Sex Therapy
Autism Diagnostic Observation Schedule (ADOS)
Response to Intervention (RTI) Educational Strategies
Functional Behavior Assessment/Positive Behavior Intervention Plan

I continue attending new and updated continuing education training to sharpen my skills and add to my tool box.

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