I received my B.A. in Anthropology, 1968,  and a Masters in Teaching Social Studies from the University of Maine in 1970. In 1985 I received a Masters in Clinical Psychology from Eastern Washington University, while raising our family in Richland, Washington.  I worked with Catholic Family and Child Services and Lutheran Social Services while living in the Tri-Cities. 
    We moved to Bellingham in 1996, and I continued working for non-profits, primarily the Whatcom Counseling and Psychiatric Clinic. I started my own practice in 2000.  I am a member of both the American and the Washington Mental Health Counselors Association. I provide all new clients with a list of all my continuing education trainings required for licensure over the last 20 years.  I have run stepparent support groups and groups for families of special needs children.  I am a stepparent, and also have 3 children and now one grandchild, who is (of course) delightful at 3 years old.   My husband and I have had the experience of raising twins, now 25, one with Down Syndrome.  Our daughter lives independently in Bellingham with the help of Division of Developmental Disabilities, 2 wonderful careproviders,  some Voucher 8 assistance from Bellingham Housing Authority, and Kulshan Supported Employment.   I greatly appreciate the Sib Shop work of Dan Meyer,  out of Children's Hospital in Seattle, and other materials on raising disabled and non-disabled children together.  I am trained through the Gottman Institute to provide classes called "Bringing Baby Home," a wonderful program that helps couples keep a solid foundation in their marriage after starting a family.  I began my work as a counselor many years ago helping pregnant teenagers, and worked with adoptive and step families throughout my years as a therapist  in Richland, and in Bellingham continue to see blended and adoptive families and do work with sand tray, art, and play therapy.  I recently did an intensive training in Oakland with Dan Wile on Collaborative Couples Therapy and found it very helpful and am looking forward to more couples and individual work.