Meet Danielle

I have always been attracted to the helping professions. Thus, I majored in Psychology as well as being in the School of Education at the University of Colorado at Boulder. I left Boulder with a Bachelors of Arts in Psychology and a teaching credential, a member of the Psi Chi National Honors Society (Psychology Honors Society), Kappa Delta Pi (Education Honor's Society), and Phi Beta Kappa, (Academic Honor's Society).

I began my work with children and adolescents as a teacher. During my years of teaching I saw many students struggling with personal issues related to internal and external sources of stress. The challenges and pressures greatly affected a number of students ability to thrive. My goal was to be able to assist them in making positive changes in their lives. Thus, I returned to school to obtain a Masters in Clinical Psychology at Pepperdine University knowing this degree would provide me with the tools to make a broader impact on the lives of adolescents / young adults and their families.

As a psychotherapist I have worked in a variety of settings. I have worked in nonprofit agencies and counseling centers. I have worked at a number of drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers including Promises, Clearview, and Authentic Recovery Center (ARC). I have provided psychotherapy to students at schools including alternative schools for those with severe emotional disorders and schools such as Lincoln Middle School, John Adams Middle School, Malibu High, and Pepperdine University. I keep up-to-date on research and issues affecting this population and am a member of The California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) and The American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (AAMFT).

Some of the reason for my success as a psychotherapist is the devotion and undivided attention that I give my clients. I believe in limiting the number of clients I see daily to stay present and focused on those clients. My clients improvement is a result of their feeling heard and understood. In the atmosphere of this warm environment, they do not feel judged which may differ from their day-to-day interactions. Even after my clients finish psychotherapy, many keep in touch to share their progress. Knowing that I could help implement these positive changes in their lives further validates why I chose this profession.