AboutPeg

I am a licensed psychologist in Oregon with MS and PhD degrees in clinical psychology from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State and University. I have conducted therapy since 1990 and initially obtained licensure in Oregon in 1997. I worked two days a week for one year in a psychiatric state hospital. I also worked for several years in community mental health centers and low-cost clinics. In addition to working with adults, couples, families, and children in therapy for years, I also have run therapy groups for survivors of abuse, women’s issues, self esteem, stress management, self awareness, and self acceptance.

Ever since I was a child, people have fascinated me. I’ve always spent a significant amount of my time thinking about how and why people think what they think, feel what they feel, and relate to others the way that they do.

I went to graduate school in psychology with the intention of becoming a therapist and helping others. What I learned in graduate school was a lot of information on mental illness, psychopathology, therapeutic techniques, and theories around psychopathology and therapy. It was very educational, but not entirely consistent with my experience of people.

In the course of doing therapy with people in a graduate clinic, a psychiatric hospital, a crisis intervention program, and community mental health centers, I grew increasingly uncomfortable giving many of the people I worked with a diagnosis of some form of psychopathology. They had genuine concerns and very reasonable reactions to their situations. Focusing on symptom alleviation was not enough for me. Eventually, I decided to go into private practice and not bill insurance, but instead offer a sliding scale fee, so that a diagnosis was not required for treatment unless there was clear evidence of true psychopathology.

More About Peg

My Professional Growth

Professional Background

Hobbies and Interests

Areas of Expertise

My Professional Growth

My Current Perspective

So now in therapy, I encourage people to accept their feelings or pain, and have compassion for themselves. My intention is for people to find meaning, balance, acceptance, and fulfillment in their lives. I work with people to examine their lives and difficult situations, to explore their feelings and what they mean, and to determine what can be changed to improve their lives. Throughout the process I do my best to support them as they are and in taking steps to make the changes that they want to make. If there truly is a psychopathology, I still take the same approach while incorporating all of my traditional training and experience.

I love to do individual and group therapy with people. I feel both honored that people are willing to share their inner experiences and blessed to be witness to their strengths and their growth. I also enjoy conducting workshops with small or large groups either at our wellness center or at places of employment. My workshops are one-time, two- to four-hour interactive classes that allow people to reflect on paper and (optionally!) out loud about themselves and to learn skills and solutions to help them live a balanced, whole life. My workshops usually focus on relaxation, stress management, and wellness. We all have strengths and weaknesses. We all can use support and an outside opinion from time to time. Therapy doesn’t have to be only about problems. It can also be about growth, affirmation, and discovering great things about oneself.

My Current Perspective

Professional Background

Areas of Expertise

Hobbies and Interests

Healing from abuse

Stress management

Societal and life pressures

Depression

Anxiety

Identity exploration

Spending time with my family

Martial arts training