Years in Practice:  20+ Years
School:  Psy.D from American Behavioral Studies Institute
Year Graduated:  2003
License No. and State:  MFC35620 California

School:  California Graduate Institute, M.A. in Psychology and Marriage, Family Therapy
Year Graduated:  1996

School:  California State University, Fullerton, B.A. in Psychology
Year Graduated:  1994

School:  Fullerton College, Associate in Arts, Liberal Studies, Graduated with Highest Honors
Year Graduated:  1991

Additional Credentials
Certificate: EMDRIA/Certificate
Date Acquired: 2004
Certificate: AAETS/Diplomate
Date Acquired: 2009

Additional Honors, Positions, Licenses and Certifications CLICK HERE

Biography:

For the past 25+ years I have been working in the mental health field.  I have a doctorate in Psychology and am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist.  I have experience working within agency settings, in a non-public school, within the military and in a private practice.  My practice serves elementary-aged children through the senior years.  I have focused my practice to serve those impacted by life events, often experienced in traumatic ways.  This could be from bullying; a mental health issue such as Bipolar, Depression or Anxiety; post-traumatic stress from direct exposure to a life-threatening event; or loving someone who has been through this.  Very often those with mental health issues are blind to their own issues and the impact to their loved ones. Just as often, the person suffering a mental health issue may be aware but unable to use the resources available in a consistent way. This leaves loved ones often feeling helpless, hopeless, isolated and alone.

Dr. Valerie blends Western psychology with knowledge of the Eastern and Wisdom traditions into the clinical setting using the EMDR protocol for the healing of trauma.  Her knowledge of transpersonal psychology along with transpersonal research studies she has explored treatment helps to create outcomes of EMDR patients as a transpersonal therapy.  Energy based healing philosophy and technique as depicted in Eastern and native shamanic spiritual traditions are used along side of contemporary western transpersonal developmental theorists.  The cultural and spiritual aspects of shamanism, woven into native tradition along with the role of EMDR therapy in awakening consciousness will be explored as we take the healing of trauma into the realms of a greater cosmic whole in the language of images, sensory experiences, and intuitive knowing.  Her hope is that there will be a continuous and flowing process taking participants from the left brain didactic to the right brain experiential, creating an integrated and flowing experience from egoic to expanded awareness.