I am known as an expert individual and couples’ psychotherapist, offering problem-focused short-term therapy and intensive long-term psychotherapy. I am bicultural and bilingual in English and Spanish. I welcome phone calls to inquire about my work and assess whether I am the best psychotherapist for your current needs. You can contact me here.

With offices in Menlo Park and Palo Alto, since the pandemic I have been working mostly online via Zoom. While I see myself as a general consultant in the field of psychology, my major areas of expertise include anxiety, depression, relationship and couples’ problems, current or past psychological trauma, life transitions, chronic pain and complex existential concerns. I also work with highly intelligent and accomplished adults interested in increasing insight, psychological development, and achieving their full potential. My credentials include a doctorate in Psychology, a California license to provide individual, couples’ and family therapy (LMFT M 8271) and a license abroad as a clinical psychologist.

In addition to the specialties described above, currently many of the people that request my services are feeling overwhelmed, dealing with loneliness, unhappiness in relationships, lack of intimacy, dissatisfaction with current jobs, conflicts with spouses, children or other family members, feeling stuck in repetitive unsuccessful discussions. I have learned through decades as a practicing psychotherapist that assessing emotional and other difficulties with a supportive and experienced professional allows you to develop enhanced coping skills and find practical solutions for your specific individual situation. 

Sometimes an in-depth exploration of these high stressors allows for a successful resolution. Often these concerns are resolved in a few sessions with a focus on specific cooperative communication skills that allow you to express your needs and wishes in a style that promotes effective outcomes.

More About Me and My Approach to Psychotherapy

In addition to knowledge and experience, I have been working in this field long enough to feel comfortable stating that I bring wisdom, sensitivity, and creativity to my work as a psychotherapist. My personal style is calming and friendly, I am easy to talk to, and have a good sense of humor, all of which facilitate rapid progress in counseling and psychotherapy. Through gentle encouragement to explore individual and relationship problems, I help define areas of concern or distress with clarity and depth and address them through the most appropriate therapeutic approach for each situation.

Psychotherapy also entails providing safety and support to explore limiting beliefs or experiences that prevent the achievement of specific goals or aspirations and transform these limitations into motivation to change and evolve.   My approach to psychotherapy supports work on emotional and cognitive mastery, leading to problem resolution, enhanced tolerance and understanding of human limitations, and increased personal growth.

Volunteer Work

I was the Co- Founder and Director of the International Institute for Psychosocial Trauma, IIPT, which closed its doors in March of 2025 after several decades of free services to traumatized immigrants. My work in this field is informed by extensive clinical experience in academia, community mental health, hospital settings, and private practice of psychotherapy. My publications address treatment, perspectives on trauma, and gender dynamics in women’s trauma.

I have offered national and international training for clinicians, legal professionals and field workers in early detection and management of primary and secondary trauma and provided psychological treatment to insolvent victims of severe psychosocial trauma including war, terrorism, sexual torture, and trafficking.

In the last few years, I co-developed and taught a course on Trauma and Legal Representation at the Santa Clara University and the Wright Institute in Berkeley; trained personnel at the International Criminal Court in the Hague on prevention of secondary trauma; instructed U.S. medical personnel on development of resilience before relief missions in disaster areas abroad; and provided psychological support to witnesses testifying in court against their former torturers.

At present my focus is consulting on trauma related issues with personnel deployed in conflict zones overseas. Locally, I focus on addressing the re-traumatization of non-nationals that are survivors of severe psychosocial trauma. Such re-traumatization stems from the constant threat of deportation promoted by the current U.S. government.