One expert I appreciate and emulate is Dr. John Rosemond. He is a child psychologist and an author. He is quick to remind folks that his “real qualifications are that he’s been married to the same woman for over forty years, is the father of two successful adults, and the grandfather of seven children…make that seven well-behaved grandchildren.”
Like Dr. Rosemond, I too feel my greatest qualifications are family-oriented and come from my role as a full-time, stay-at-home mom and devoted wife. I committed to staying at home with my kids for 11 years at a time when it was unpopular to do so. My female peers were rushing full speed into their careers. Nonetheless, I opted for full-time motherhood in the home. My husband of 31 years completely supported and encouraged me in this role. My objective with my two strong-willed children was to be fully present to shape their personalities in accordance with their God-given design and basic temperaments. I wanted to love and discipline them 24/7 without breaking their spirits. Balancing taming their wills and loving them, was an act I learned to juggle, quite effectively, alongside my loving husband. I was trained by the toughest of natures—theirs. It was rewarding and infinitely joyful, but it took my husband and I a lot of sweat and pleading to the Lord to parent them for us. The end result—two kind, humorous, enjoyable adult children with successful careers and a strong faith system.
Every training ground thereafter was a piece of cake in comparison. I counseled the full gamut of children and teens—high-functioning autistic, little professors, brilliant children with ADD, ADHD and Oppositional Defiant Disorder, foster children, children of incarcerated parents… the list is endless. I truly trained in the trenches in both agencies and schools.
During my MFT training, I also counseled young adult college students in non-profit agencies. My role was helping them launch into adulthood with all its confusion and social expectations. I counseled them in the areas of depression and anxiety, grief and loss, OCD, childhood trauma, school anxiety, relationships, etc. I went on to counsel individuals of every age with these disorders and life adjustment issues, and have been doing so for 17 years.
I currently counsel individuals, families, relationships, including mother-daughter relationships– teaching them how to break unhealthy communication patterns and relate congruently without blaming. I view blame as the biggest relationship antagonist there is. In contrast, in my family therapy and relationship counseling, I encourage cohesion and distributing blame and responsibility equally among members. I also emphasize “owning your own wrongs”.
My specialties are depression, anxiety, grief and loss and relationship communication from an integrative Christian therapy framework.
My warmth and unconditional positive regard will give you the freedom, safety and comfort in session to disclose your deepest needs and hurts.
Education
B.A., Journalism, Cal State University, Long Beach, CA
M.A., Education/Counseling emphasis, Azusa Pacific University, CA
PPS, Pupil Personnel Services credential, Azusa Pacific, CA
M.A., Marriage and Family Therapy, Hope International University, CA
*The latter two are fully accredited Christian Universities
*Extra training in Child Play therapy via Susan Kelsey (LMFT, RPT-S, child specialist) continuing education seminars
*Extra training in Grief and Loss, and Thanatology. Cross Country Education.
*Counseling Grief Clients: Practical Interventions from New Theoretical Insights (Vyne Education, February 2018).