Life is filled with surprises and challenges. Sometimes it can seem overwhelming. Talking to a professional can help you and those you care about find new options. I have experience working with a range of issues including depression, anxiety, addiction, trauma, family problems, couples' problems, life transitions, questions of sexual and gender identity, and concerns related to health issues, death, and dying. I take a goal-oriented, active, client-centered approach, focusing on the potential that each person has for growth and change. My practice draws from many years of experience in the United States and abroad, and from training in a wide range of fields. I not only have worked as a psychotherapist, but I have also served as a program manager, clinical supervisor, researcher, workshop leader, consultant, and professor of social work. The result is that I am able to offer my clients first-hand expertise from a variety of perspectives, including my ongoing research. I have a BA in theology (Boston College), an MSW in clinical social work (Boston University), an MS in public health (Harvard University), and a PhD in psychology (Free University of Berlin, Germany). I have published extensively in English and German on topics related to excellence in social work practice, health and well-being, and public involvement in improving the health care system.