Background and Training

Education

I received my B.A. in Psychology from Concordia University, Montreal (1980) and my M.A. in Counselling Psychology from the Adler School of Professional Psychology, Chicago (1988).

I completed my practicum at a Quebec Ministry of Health treatment centre for alcoholics and their families. During that time I received specialized training in psychological testing, dual-diagnosis, assessment using the DSM, psychodrama, and individual and group psychodynamic psychotherapy.

 

Work Experience

For ten years I worked as an individual and group therapist and psychometrician at an in-patient substance abuse clinic and an out-patient mental health clinic in Montreal.

After moving to Vancouver in 1988 I worked in a group practice specializing in the treatment of childhood trauma in adults. I ran specialized groups for adult children of alcoholics and saw clients in both individual and couples therapy.

I taught the substance abuse course as part of the Masters programme for the Adler School of Professional Psychology.

I gave workshops on “Interactional Group Psychotherapy”, and “Ethics and Boundaries in Psychotherapy”.

I conducted an on-going clinical case consultation group for The Family Services of the North Shore.

I have been in private practice in West Vancouver since 1990, where I provide individual psychotherapy, marriage counselling,  group psychotherapy and consultation to other therapists.

 

Additional Training/Supervision

  • Five years of personal psychoanalysis and two years participating in an interactional therapy group for therapists.
  • Three years training/supervision with Jane Middelton-Moz, M.S. of the Middelton-Moz Institute in Seattle, specializing in working with childhood trauma in adults.
  • Two year program “Certificate in Psychoanalytic Scholarship” at the Northwest Alliance for Psychoanalytic Study in Seattle.
  • Ten year period of on-going clinical case conference/ supervision groups with Psychoanalysts, including: Oscar Romero, M.D., Hassan Azim, M.D., and Stephen Rush, PhD.
  • Advanced Study: Assessment & Intervention: Gottman Method Couples Therapy, Gottman Institute, Seattle.

I keep my skills updated by attending continuing education workshops on a regular basis. Recent workshop topics have been: Trauma and PTSD, Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy, Sexual Addiction, Psychopharmacology, Research Based Approaches for Psychotherapy, Cognitive Therapy, Collaborative Couples Therapy, and the five day U.S. Evolution of Psychotherapy Conference – A Tribute to the Masters.

 

Completed Research:

“MMPI Profile Changes in Alcoholic Patients After Treatment and Follow-Up Period” Concordia advanced research program, Montreal (1981)

“The Effects of Parental Alcoholism in Childhood on Personality Outcome” Masters Thesis, Chicago (1988)