Great to meet you!
I enjoy working with adults experiencing day-to-day life with changing families, changing careers, and making life plans; and parents who are striving to do what is best for their children despite the challenges they face in their relationship with other key adults in the child's life.
I graduated with my Masters of Social Work at the University of California, Sacramento. I spent many years working for a non-profit agency working with children and adolescents in the foster care system and their families. During this time I have experienced working with children and their families strengthen their relationship so they can return home, assisted youth in dealing with anger, anxiety, depression, loss, rejection, mental health diagnosis, substance use, sexual, physical, and emotional abuse. I worked for several years focusing on youth who were victims of sexual exploitation. Many of these youth struggled in school, peer relationships, relationships of authority, family relationships, and their relationship with themselves.
I have also worked with adults transitioning into new life stages such as establishing careers, finding love, creating a family, and all the challenges that come along with these types of life changes. It is important to keep dreaming and working towards your goals in life.
They say, "It takes a village" to raise a child. That can become more challenging when the relationship that helped create your family is strained. The adults need to develop a plan to communicate effective, appropriately, and ensure that the child or children involved are able to love and accept love from the adults that are safe for them. This may be some of the most important work I do to help create environments and new adult relationships that help the parents and the child learn to adjust to their new family dynamics.