Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist providing the following:

• Grief counseling
  • Certified Grief Educator through completing a certificate program designed by world-renowned grief expert David Kessler
  • Committed to providing the highest level of grief support through education, experience, and insights into the often unacknowledged rocky terrain of grief
• General psychotherapy
  • Compassionate, strength-based approach
  • Mindfulness
  • Cognitive behavioral therapies
  • Acceptance and commitment therapy
  • Positively focused brain-based therapies

Background:

• Became a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist in 2015 after retiring from a 28-year career as an educator, K through university, in the California public schools and CSU system, inspired by the needs of former students with mental health issues.
• Became a certified grief educator after being part of David Kessler’s Tender Hearts group following the loss by suicide of my younger daughter in 2021.
• Experienced serving clients and families with a wide range of issues, including anxiety, depression, PTSD and addiction.
• In addition to having a private practice I work two days a week providing psychiatric evaluations and therapeutic support for patients in crisis in a Hospital Emergency Room.

Education

Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology, Marriage and Family Therapy

University of San Francisco, December, 2009

Master of Arts in Education, Reading and Literacy

Sonoma State University, June, 2001

California Teaching Credential, Multiple Subject

Dominican University, January, 1988

Bachelor of Arts, Art History, Cum Laude

New York University, June, 1974

Grief very often leads, directly or indirectly, to financial challenges that are emotional, spiritual and ultimately material to the real world.

As both a Certified Financial Therapist and a Certified Grief Educator, I help clients navigate their relationship with money in the full context of their grief, with deep empathy and understanding, to get to a better place of peace and acceptance, and ultimately to identify and achieve meaningful and realistic goals.

See http://www.oakfinancialcoaching.com to learn more about what I can do for you.

Licensed Clinical Social Worker /Certified in Grief Counseling

18 years of experience in helping individuals and families navigate the complex emotions of grief and loss.

Compassionate, evidence based support to those coping with death of a love one, life transitions and prolonged complicated grief. My approach is rooted in empathy, trauma informed care and an understanding of the grieving process. I work with individuals, couples and groups to create safe and supportive space to promote healing, resilience and hope.