My journey toward becoming a therapist began in Japan where I lived for 17 years, teaching in a junior college and eventually matriculating as a graduate student in clinical psychology. My husband died before I was able to finish and I brought my two children back to Oregon and started my graduate work over again, this time pursuing a master's degree in clinical social work at Portland State University. After graduation I worked first in community mental health, and then was hired at the Portland VA to start a DBT program. While working at the VA for the next 20 years, I was able to access training in a number of other Modalities, including ACT, EMDR, Prolonged Exposure, Cognitive Behavioral THerapy for Chronic Pain, and Cogitive Behavioral Therapy for Insomnia. On my own I also undertook on extensive training In Polyvagal Therapy for Trauma and Somatic Experiencing. I started my private practice on a part time basis in 2017, and went full time in 2023 after retiring from the VA. I currently see clients both in person in Northwest Portland, and via telehalth.