"Follow your bliss. Find where it is,and don't be afraid to follow it."
~ Joseph Campbell, "The Power of Myth"
I am a licensed marriage and family therapist, life coach and owner of Wellspring Counseling Group in Moorpark, California. The journey that led me here involved me following my bliss, as Joseph Campbell so eloquently put it, and I hope I can help you find your particular bliss. I love my profession and would be honored to have the opportunity to work with you.
In The Beginning
I started out my career as a professional writer, first as a journalist, then a corporate communications specialist working for many of America's largest companies. Although I made good money and enjoyed writing, the profession certainly didn't feed my soul as the years passed.
However, while working as a young journalist, I had caught a glimpse into my "bliss." I wrote an in-depth series of articles about the chronically mentally ill, and I became transfixed by the world of psychology. At the time, it didn't occur to me to pursue a career change, so instead I did various types of volunteer work related to psychology. One of the most interesting situations was volunteering at Metropolitan State Hospital, a locked psychiatric hospital for people with severe mental health problems.
Ultimately I discovered the paraprofessional counseling program at Pasadena Mental Health, where I was trained to work one-on-one with low-income individuals. I absolutely fell in love with the work and knew I had found my calling.
Back To School
At that point, I returned to graduate school at Pepperdine University to earn an advanced degree in clinical psychology. After that I completed a 3,000-hour internship, passed two arduous licensing exams and achieved my dream of becoming a licensed marriage and family therapist.
When deciding what to specialize in, I acknowledged that personal relationships really were my passion. Over the years, I have attended numerous training programs to expand my skills and knowledge specifically related to relationships. I also earned certification as an anger management provider, since anger rears its ugly head in many relationships.
In addition to my academic training and clinical experience, I bring to the table many life experiences – joy and sorrow, birth and death, connection and loss. Although my experiences are very different than my clients', I do understand on an intimate level the kinds of strong emotions associated with love relationships.
Working together, I believe you and I can find solutions to your most pressing relationship problems. In the process, you should gain deeper self-insight and learn new tools for experiencing the joyful, healthy life and love you deserve.
And Then Came Life Coaching
After I was established as a licensed therapist, I added life coaching to my menu of services for several reasons, including:
- I really enjoy brainstorming with people to generate ideas and plans to enrich their lives.
- I acknowledged that many people either do not want or do not need psychotherapy, but they do need a trained professional to help them make meaningful life changes in a goal-focused way.
- I was bothered by the reality that life coaching is an unregulated field, so many untrained individuals are marketing themselves as life coaches. Licensed therapists use many coaching skills in our work with therapy clients, such as self-assessment and goal-setting, and I wanted to be able to offer these skills to life coaching clients.
Areas Served
I generally serve clients living in Moorpark, Simi Valley, Thousand Oaks, Westlake Village and surrounding communities such as Camarillo, Fillmore, Newbury Park, Santa Paula and Somis. But clients as far away as the San Fernando Valley and Ventura have sought out my services. In addition, I am available to work with clients via Skype/webcam.
License and Certifications
Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, State of California
License #MFC 42747
Certified Anger Management Provider, Anderson & Anderson
Education
M.A., Clinical Psychology, Pepperdine University
Serene Office Environment
Click here to see photos of my gorgeous office in Moorpark, California.
Professional Activities and Memberships
California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists
Conejo Valley Mental Health Professionals Association
