I think of doing therapy through writing as a very thoughtful activity. Taking the time to put your thoughts into written words and corresponding about them with a trusted person is somewhat of a lost art. Writing thoughtful messages may be even more powerful now in the age of quick emails, status updates and texts.

One of my main roles as psychotherapist is to ask thoughtful questions that help people consider their lives in more dignified ways. Problems can disconnect people from their skills and what they can do in the world. Although it can be important to talk about problems, if our conversations are only about problems then I don’t think we’re getting a full enough picture. I try to ask intriguing questions about a person’s values, intentions, hopes, and dreams. One advantage of therapy through writing is that accounts of these more positive aspects of life can be collected over time word for word and weaved into stories of dignity that can help people see new possibilities for their lives.

I graduated with a Master's in Counseling Psychology from the California Institute of Integral Studies in San Francisco. I have been practicing psychotherapy in California since 2007 and my approach to therapy through writing draws primarily from the Narrative Therapy tradition. I have been published in the International Journal of Narrative Therapy and Community Work. My Publication: http://sfbantr.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/Increasing-Family-Presence-to-Reduce-Expulsion-in-Early-Childhood-Centres.pdf

I love working with thoughtful people who are motivated to write new stories to their lives. On a personal level, I both play guitar and sing with a neighbor and I enjoy listening to a lot of music. I produce a bi-weekly music show on the UC Berkeley radio station. I believe "good music can act as a guide to good living" as John Cage said. I would love to hear if you've found music or other art forms that have acted as guides to to good living for you. I also produce a podcast on narrative therapy at sfbantr.org.

My Availability: When you write me a short message, I will get back to you within 24 hours. When you send a longer message, I'll write a short response within 24 hours and then get back to you with a longer response within 72 hours. We can also negotiate these expectations according to our mutual needs.