I am glad you have come to my website!​

Here's some background information about me.

​

I have a Bachelor's degree in English from UC Berkeley, and a Masters of Science in Counseling Psychology from Dominican University. I became a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, and early on, I was particularly drawn to working with grief, loss, death and dying and had the honor of working with Hospice, as well as many others. 

 

During my 30 years in private practice as a psychotherapist, I received my certification as an Integrative Yoga Teacher, and a teacher and guide in Yoga Nidra/Integrative Restoration (iRest) Meditation, thus unifying my psychological and spiritual background with mindfulness based stress reduction (MBSR), somatic therapy, research based yoga therapy and Buddhist psychology.

​

 I teach and guide many forms of healing  including Yoga Nidra, Integrative Restoration (iRest), Loving Kindness and Mindfulness meditations, as well as Hatha yoga.

I sometimes incorporate music and dance as a medium to express joy and other emotions through movement and sound.

​

I have been influenced by many teachers from many communities.

Jean Grant Sutton,  has been not only my consistant yoga teacher for over 30 years, but also a dear friend. I am honored to have  assisted her in her first Integrative Yoga Teacher Training, and to continue to teach along side her and co-lead yoga retreats.

​

Other teachers who have been influential include TKV Desikachar, Erich Schiffman, Richard Miller, Jack Kornfield, Tara Brach, Adyashanti, Fred Rogers, Gabrielle Roth, and so many others over the years. 

​

I have gratitude for my first therapist, Mandy Aftel, for her insights while I was going through major life transitions at 29, and who planted the seed in me to become a psychotherapist.

 

After her retirement, and for nearly 18 years, I sat with the compassionate and highly perceptive Sam Kimbles, former president of the Jung Institute in San Francisco, whose questions and explorations led to many life changing discoveries and inspired my work with Buddhist psychology. ​​

​

Using many healing techniques and practices, self discovery can flourish and open us to our innate wholeness.

​​

*************************************

Here's more about me if you want to keep reading :)

​

I am grateful. ​

​

I have been taking photographs since 1981, and catch glimpses of light and life in the moment.  I also play with paint, create sculptures and collages, and write prose and poetry.​

​

My husband Mark (Gangadhar) and I play music together. He plays tabla (Indian drums) and I play the tamboura for both Classical Hindustani music, and kirtan, which is devotional chanting, in a call and response format. 

 

Mark has played for over 50 years, with many musicians, including Peter Van Gelder, Ben Kunin, Steve Oda, and kirtan leaders Jai Uttal, Uma Reed, Mirabai Warkulwiz, Mary Menninger, and Mangalananda,

 

  In addition, we play in a completely different genre with our friends David on guitar and harmonica (a super composer), Mark on keyboards, and Trish and me as vocalists with percussion, in a more folksy/rock type band we call the Loveheads. ​​​​

​

I am particularly grateful for my family and  extended family, friends and students.

You are all my teachers.

​

​

​