I was born and raised in California as a daughter of immigrant parents. I loved to travel and decided to embark on a new adventure by moving to the Netherlands in 1996 with my Dutch husband. I understand the challenges of moving to another country, leaving behind family, friends, culture, language, and career connections.

I know how trying it can be to build up a new life (both personal and professional) in a new country, as well as dealing with differences in a bicultural relationship, and raising bilingual children. Because of these personal experiences, I believe that there are a variety of ways to better understand and overcome the hurdles that expat life can present to you.

Educational background and experience

I received my Bachelors of Psychology from the University of California, Irvine and my Masters of Social Work from the University of Pennsylvania. In the U.S., I worked primarily with adolescents in intramural settings as well as in high schools. I received a Post-Masters degree in Systemic Therapy in 2013 from Lorentzhuis in Haarlem and I am a second level EFT therapist with a certificate from the International Center for Excellence in Emotional Focused Therapy (ICEEFT). I also have a Level 1 +2 training of the Gottman method and I am an EMDR practitioner in training.

For the past 20+ years, I have worked in a variety of social fields in Amsterdam — from refugees and mentally handicapped families to victims and perpetrators of domestic violence. I have also experience with the expat community and their struggles with adjustment and relocation issues and guiding couples through complex divorces while maintaining the focus on the children.

Finding the right therapist can be challenging. The alliance between client - therapist, understanding the different (cultural) grids or sometimes just feeling a ‘click’ can make a difference between a successful treatment or not. In therapy, I have a compassionate and open attitude.

As a native English-speaking therapist, I offer counseling and therapy to individuals, couples and families as well as trainings regarding the escalation process.

Sessions can take place in our centrally located office in Amsterdam, either in person or online. I speak English and Dutch fluently.

Affiliations:

- NVRG (Nederlandse Vereniging voor Relatie- en Gezinstherapie): NVRG-12582
- EFT (Emotionally Focused Therapy) : 4141