I am a clinical psychologist who is licensed to practice in dozens of states in the U.S. (See which ones here.) I attended the University of Texas at Austin for my undergraduate degree in psychology and then went on to Baylor University to pursue my doctoral degree in clinical psychology. While in graduate school, I was selected for the U.S. Army’s Health Professions Scholarship Program. After completing my work at Baylor, I was chosen for a residency at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C. From there, I went on to complete army medical and mental health training at Fort Sam Houston in Texas, as well as aeromedical psychology training at Fort Rucker in Alabama. After my training was completed, I served as an active duty psychologist at Fort Huachuca, Arizona. Upon honorable discharge from the military, I opened a private practice in Sierra Vista, Arizona, the community surrounding the post. In 2006, I moved to the Phoenix West Valley and established a private practice.
About My Services
I have been practicing in the field of psychology for more than two decades and obtained my license to practice independently in 2003. Over the years, I have obtained a wide range of experience in the field of mental health. I have worked with the elementary school population, juvenile delinquents, veterans, the elderly and military service members and their families. I have conducted research on the effectiveness of mental health treatment in a community mental health setting. I have also authored countless articles relevant to both military and civilian populations, including a book, Fix Your Freaking Marriage: Practical Tips to Just Start Somewhere. I have lectured to medical and mental health providers at various hospitals and other agencies. I have also supervised doctoral psychology students as part of my private practice.
All of these experiences have cultivated in me a desire to work with a variety of individuals, couples and families from all walks of life and with a wide range of physical and psychological challenges. I find my work to be very rewarding, and I am always honored when someone trusts me enough to be open, honest and brave enough to share his or her life story and allow me to help in the journey to improved psychological functioning and a greater quality of life.
In my practice, I operate from the premise that the mind and body cannot and should not be separated when working to improve the health and well being of an individual. Rather, I see the relationship between mind and body as a reciprocal one. That is, one’s mental health can affect one’s physical health and vice versa. There is now a wealth of research to support this relationship. It’s common sense really. If you are stressed and coping in unhealthy ways, such as decreased sleep and increased alcohol consumption, your immune system can become weak. This may result in greater susceptibility to everything from the cold going around the office to high blood pressure to autoimmune diseases.
Because of this mind-body connection, my assessment and treatment involve a biopsychosocial approach. This methodology involves assessing a person’s physical health history and biological predispositions, as we know that genetics can play a role in the development of physical and psychological conditions. As part of the assessment of psychological functioning and available support networks, I also investigate each person’s spirituality. I am a Christian, and I believe that a connection to something larger than ourselves is crucial to living a healthy and fulfilled life. In addition, my approach to therapy tends to be pretty direct because I don’t want to waste any time getting a patient the relief he or she desires.
My approach to therapy also includes a deep dive into family history, what I call “beginning at the beginning,” because we are the sum total of all of our experiences. I can teach you coping skills and tactics of all kinds to overcome your challenges, but if you don’t understand how you got where you are, why you think and behave the way you do, that’s just putting a bandaid on a bullet hole. You have to go through it to undo it. Bandages won’t suffice when surgery is what’s really required.
If you think that I can help you with your personal challenges, please call my office to schedule a consultation appointment. Your psychological distress affects you and others more than you might think. Life is too short to hold onto pain. You have little to lose and much to gain.
