Education & Experience

EDUCATION

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN PSYCHOLOGY, MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPY

California State University, Chico. Chico, California.

Graduation: May 2001 (with Distinction)

BACHELOR OF ARTS IN PSYCHOLOGY

Seattle University. Seattle, Washington.

Graduation: December 1993 (Summa Cum Laude)

LICENSED MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELOR

Washington State, December 2006

CERTIFIED TO TEACH ENGLISH AS A SECOND OR FOREIGN LANGUAGE

The School of Teaching English as a Second Language (In cooperation with Seattle University School of Education). Seattle, Washington. Graduation: September 1994

HONORS
Graduated with Distinction (California State University, Chico) Graduated Summa Cum Laude (Seattle University)

Pathways Leadership Award (Seattle University)

MEMBERSHIPS

  • Associate Member American Association of Marriage and Family
  • Therapy (AAMFT)
  • Associate Member Washington Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (WAMFT)
  • Member Southwest Washington Association of Behavioral Health
  • (SWABH)

EXPERIENCE

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST

SEPT ’03 – PRESENT

Private marriage and family therapist. Olympia, Washington.

Provide individual and family therapy to the community.

MARRIAGE AND FAMILY THERAPIST

SEPT ’03 – AUG ‘06

Contracted therapist. Olympia, Washington. Provide individual and family therapy to the community through

The Family Preservation and Family Reconciliation Services Programs of the Department of Social and Health Services, Therapeutic Foster Care and Safe Shelter Programs at the non-profit agency, Community Youth Services.

PARENTING CLASS FACILITATOR

NOV ’04 – JULY ’05

Family Support Center. Olympia, Washington.

Facilitate a parenting class called Moral Reconnation Therapy. Utilize curriculum addressing parenting values, coping techniques, setting goals for parents and for children, child development, positive discipline, attachment, and exploring what a healthy family looks like.

FOSTER CARE PROGRAM COORDINATOR

JUN ’01 – MAR ‘03

Community Youth Services. Olympia, Washington.

Facilitated bringing youth into foster care program by becoming familiar with each youth’s background and needs, selecting appropriate foster home, and transitioning youth into the home. Offered continual support to youth and foster parents, worked with foster care staff to ensure that needs of youth were being appropriately met, worked to sustain the needs of staff so that they could continue to do the hard work they did, provided case management services for youth when needed, negotiated foster care contracts with DSHS, maintained communication with community service providers also working with the youth and families in the program, and organized and provided foster parent trainings and special events for families.

COUNSELING COORDINATOR

AUG ‘00 – MAY ‘01

Counselor Training Center, California State University. Chico, California. Provided support for student counselors, served as liaison between community referral sources, university professors, administrators, and student counselors, and was responsible for managing paperwork for approximately 115 clients at a time.

CRISIS COUNSELOR

SEPT ‘98 – AUG ‘99

Catalyst Domestic Violence Services. Chico, California. Provided crisis counseling to victims of domestic violence and their families over the phone and at the crisis shelter.

US PEACE CORPS VOLUNTEER

JUNE ‘95 – AUG ‘97

US Peace Corps. Srobarova High School. Kosice, The Slovak Republic. Responsible for teaching English as a foreign language 20 lessons a week to high school students, organizing and facilitating workshops for teachers.

TEACHING ASSISTANT

AUG ‘94 – SEPT ‘94

The School of Teaching English as a Second Language. Seattle, Washington. Prepared materials and provided teaching assistance for an ESL class while working towards TESL certification.

ENGLISH TUTOR

JAN ‘93 – JUNE ‘93

Washington State Refugee Resettlement Program. Seattle, Washington. Provided English tutoring and social support on a weekly basis for a refugee family recently settled in Seattle.

GROUP FACILITATOR

SEPT ‘92 – JUNE ‘93

Student Development, Pathways Department. Seattle University. Seattle, Washington. Fulfilled a non-paid position that included planning activities and facilitating discussions on a weekly basis for a group of new students.