About

The Beginning

A new neighbor of mine recently asked me why I became a therapist. I thought about that question  differently than ever before. It was a natural progression. Each career flowed into the next. I started out as an Interpretive Naturalist and journalist. Then I gave in to the passion of my life, performing.

I became an artist-in-residence and an improvisational performance artist. I moved to the West Coast. I worked with some incredible innovative artists in the Bay Area. Eventually, I joined two other women to create “Leftovers… the ups and downs of a compulsive eater”.  This was created from original writings and improvisational development. We were invited to perform off-Broadway after a 3-year tour on the West Coast.

After we closed, I went back to the Bay area. I met with a consultant in San Francisco to explore what my options were. She looked over my glossy promo photos and résumé and said, “you have a good body of work.”

“What do I do here?” She picked up the picture of my clown character ‘Annie, a different kind of clown’. “Dress up as her, get names of good agents and bring the executive admin flowers… that will get your foot in the door.” I looked at her and replied, “I can’t do that.” She looked back and said softly, “then you will never get paying work in this city.”

I walked out of her office with my actor’s equity card in my wallet knowing that I was letting go of a world I had believed would be my life forever. I started asking myself the questions I now hear from clients in my therapy practice. If I am not a performer and teacher, who am I? When one way of being stops, what starts? Who starts? 

The Reason

What did I love about all the work I had done? Watching people discover nature. Interviewing folks for newspaper stories. Teaching and performing improvisation material. The main rules being “meet them where they are” and “yes, and” instead of “yes, but”. What was fascinating to me were people who question, explore, and feel. It was curiosity coupled with my skill to listen, watch, and be present that was my bliss, as Joseph Campbell would say.

 I had been in therapy for years learning that. That was when it clicked for me. What I found compelling was the nature of how/why people operate. 

The Result

I got my M.A. and became a Licensed Marriage Family Therapist in California and then in Michigan. I have a psychodynamic base and utilize techniques from all theories. I am an improvisational therapist. In the 35 years since I became licensed I have:

Taught extensively

• 20 years with the Grossman Seminars series out of Los Angeles, California teaching continuing education classes and test-taking for the M.F.T. state exams.
• Expressive Arts in Campbell, California and John F. Kennedy University in California.

Presented at:

• California Association of Marriage Family Therapists
• ASDAH (Association of Size Diversity and Health) National Convention

Specialties

• I work with individual adults and couples
• Individuals at a crossroads
• Depth couples work
• Separation/divorce (not mediation)
• Creativity/expressive arts
• Women in midlife
• Issues with aging