Ihave been a practicing psychotherapist and a teacher, trainer and educator in Psychodrama, Sociometry and Group Psychotherapy for 45 years. I am a licensed clinical social worker. I work at the intersection of mindful awareness and interpersonal connection. I facilitate relationship-oriented growth and healing. My approach to healing facilitates mindfulness with action processes. Enactment techniques promote empathy, observation of mental processes, letting go, awareness of others and spontaneity.

I work with individuals and couples. My specialization includes treatment of the following issues: self-esteem, relationships, and adjustment challenges. I also work with mood disorders including depression, anxiety, fear, loss and chronic unhappiness. My office becomes a safe place to investigate and explore. It is how we react to our life circumstances rather thane the circumstances themselves that determine the quality of our lives.

In order to increase my knowledge of how mindfulness integrates with western psychology, I participated in a two year in-depth, certificate program with Tara Brach. The curriculum included exploring the basic Buddhist teachings and practices, the interface of meditation with western psychology and modern science.

The course of my professional life was set in the early 70's I was involved in the "human potential" movement. The belief of this movement was that human beings could experience an exceptional quality of life filled with happiness and fulfillment. '

We are the mirror as well as the face in it. We are tasting the taste this minute of eternity. We are pain and what cures pain both. We are the sweet cold water in the jar that pours"
—Rumi

In the late 60's while living in Lima, Peru for 6 months I encountered a method of growth and development with a cornerstone of spontaneity and creativity called Psychodrama. With my limited understanding of the Spanish language I experienced the transformation of participants, witnessing 'group members enter withdrawn, shut down and isolated and leave enlivened. It was magical.

In 1970 I returned to the US to complete my undergraduate work at American University and entered a training program at St Elizabeths Hospital in Washington, DC. In this personal and spiritual transitional period I entered two training programs. One was The Arica Institute, an intensive training program integrating Eastern philosophy and practice. The other at St Elizabeths Hospital in Washington D.C. St. Elizabeths was a federally funded teaching and training hospital where we worked 40 hours a week while we studied and practiced the methodology of psychodrama, sociometry and group psychotherapy. After my internship I was invited to join the staff. While the experience taught me many things, it primarily fostered how to enter the world of the other and the importance of being present. Authenticity was the only way of reaching the population. After training I went to a graduate school of social work. There I learned the impact of social systems on the individual. In this program understanding the individual in their social context was underscored. Integrating my education with my training, provided an inner and outer map of a persons' social/emotional world. Social work also reinforced the importance of being present and meeting people where they are and creating a place of safety where they are able to connect to themselves and share honestly.

I further integrated my education and training by teaching in 2 graduate school of social work and began a private practice. In my 40 years of experience I have had the privilege of working with many people from psychiatric patients to highly functioning, creative souls. In my years as a teacher/trainer of therapists in the US and internationally I had the opportunity to broaden my horizons. This year in order to deepen my understanding of the spiritual nature of my work I entered a mindfulness teacher training program sponsored by the Insight Meditation Community of Washington, DC. The focus of the program is on teaching mindfulness practices that emphasizes a heightened awareness of the present moment. Mindfulness practices promotes clear seeing, clear knowing and speaking and is grounded in connecting to self and others through compassion and curiosity.

Interpersonal wounding is universal. Healing is possible.

Clinical Director of the Sociometric Institute 1991-present, Former Director Psychodrama Services Fairoaks Hospital in Summit, NJ, Supervising Psychodramatist St. Elizabeth Hospital Washington D.C., Faculty SUNY Stony Brook, NY, Rutgers University and Rutgers Graduate School NJ in clinical social work. Diplomate in clinical social work with additional training and certification in in Psychodrama Sociometry and group psychotherapy. Former Vice-President of Group Psychotherapy and Psychodrama and received the organizations life time achievement recognition (J.L. Moreno Award recipient, 2006).