Hi, I’m so glad you’re interested in finding out more about me.   

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, having earned a Master’s degree in Social Work from the National Catholic School of Social Service, Catholic University. I have over 10 years of experience working with adults and adolescents (ages 14 and up), in individual, couple and family settings. I am the Assistant Director of the Attachment and Human Development Center at The Washington School of Psychiatry.

I specialize in couples therapy, using a model called Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFT). It is a very effective and powerful way to work with couples. 

I earned my Certification as an Emotionally Focused Couple Therapist and Supervisor from the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy.

I am a member of:

• The Institute of Contemporary Psychotherapy and Psychoanalysis,
• Greater Washington Society for Clinical Social Work, and
• National Association of Social Workers. 

I participate in many educational opportunities to ensure continuous learning in the growing and dynamic field of psychotherapy. 

I am thankful to the many people who have shared their lives with me and taught me about people’s courage and capacity to heal and change.

 

Presentations

January 11, 12, 18 & 19, 2008.  Attachment Theory:  Basic Concepts and Clinical Applications in Work with Individuals, Couples and Children. I coordinated the training with Mauricio Cortina, MD, Director, Attachment and Human Development Center.

January 18, 2008. As part of the above training, I presented on Attachment Theory and Work with Couples. My presentation was titled:  Eight Ways That Attachment Theory Informs Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFT).

October 25, 2008. Through The Greater Washington Society of Clinical Social Work. Attachment Theory, Love and Neurobiology. Instead of What’s Love Got to Do with It, let’s take a look at What’s Attachment Theory Got to Do with It? Attachment Theory provides us with an understanding of love. Attachment Theory, at the same time, provides us with a road map to understand couples in distress and how to intervene effectively. The work by John Bowlby and Mary Ainsworth, the founders of Attachment Theory, focused on the relationship between children and their parents. This is a natural place to begin to understand love.  Taking a look at how Attachment Theory informs couples work, specifically Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFT), we will be expanding love between children and parents to love between partners.  In this course, we will look at eight ways in which Attachment Theory informs couples work.  Attachment Theory proposes, among other tenets, that people are hard- wired to seek and maintain a safe connection with a few key others and respond with alarm when that bond is threatened. We will also look at research that helps us understand the neurobiology of when couples have a secure attachment and when they are in distress.

March 31, 2009.  Through the Greater Washington Society of Clinical Social Work.  Introduction to Emotionally Focused Couple Therapy (EFT).