I am a doctoral-level clinician with advanced training in neuroscience, psychopharmacology, psychophysiology, and brain-behavior relationships. My professional path has always centered around understanding how the brain works, how it changes under stress or injury, and how people heal when life becomes overwhelming after injury.
Clinical Philosophy of Care
Neuroscience-Informed, Patient-Centered Support
Recovery following neurological injury or illness often affects multiple aspects of functioning at the same time — cognitive, emotional, physical, and social.
At Lifepaths Counseling Service, care is guided by the understanding that psychological health and brain function are closely interconnected. Changes following brain injury, stroke, chronic headache conditions, or nervous system disruption frequently involve both neurological and adjustment processes.
Treatment emphasizes supporting individuals as they adapt, stabilize, and gradually rebuild functional capacity during recovery.
Understanding the Whole Person
Neurological symptoms do not occur in isolation.
Patients may be simultaneously navigating:
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Cognitive fatigue or reduced endurance
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Medical uncertainty
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Changes in independence or identity
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Family or occupational stress
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Fluctuating physical symptoms
Clinical work focuses on understanding how these experiences interact within the individual’s daily life rather than addressing symptoms in isolation.
Respecting Nervous System Recovery
Following neurological injury or prolonged illness, the brain and autonomic nervous system may temporarily function under increased demand.
Care emphasizes:
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Sustainable pacing strategies
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Reduction of repeated symptom escalation
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Education regarding neurological recovery patterns
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Gradual rebuilding of tolerance for activity and engagement
Progress is often supported through consistency rather than pressure to rapidly return to previous levels of functioning.
Education as Part of Treatment
Many patients experience significant relief when symptoms are explained within a neurological framework.
Education may include understanding:
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Cognitive fatigue
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Symptom fluctuation
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Sensory overload
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migraine and nervous system sensitivity
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autonomic regulation changes
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non-linear recovery patterns
Clear understanding can reduce fear, self-blame, and unnecessary overexertion during recovery.
Collaborative and Interdisciplinary Care
Recovery frequently involves multiple providers.
When appropriate and with patient consent, collaboration may occur with:
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Physicians
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Neurologists
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Rehabilitation therapists
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Speech or occupational therapy providers
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Case managers or care teams
Shared communication can help support functional goals and continuity of care.
Supporting Adjustment and Resilience
Neurological injury often represents a significant life transition.
Psychological care may involve:
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Adjustment to changing abilities
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Stress and emotional regulation support
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Identity reconstruction following illness or injury
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Family system adaptation
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Return-to-work or role transition support
The goal is not only symptom reduction but restoration of meaningful engagement in life.
A Respectful Pace of Recovery
Healing timelines vary widely between individuals.
Care at Lifepaths Counseling Service recognizes that recovery is rarely linear and that progress often occurs through gradual rebuilding of stability and confidence over time.
Professional Orientation
Services provided integrate principles drawn from:
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Clinical neuropsychology
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Rehabilitation psychology
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Neuroscience-informed psychotherapy
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Health psychology
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Trauma-informed care
Treatment recommendations are individualized based on each person’s medical history, functional goals, and recovery context.
Experience
Before entering full-time clinical practice, I spent over fifteen years as a university professor teaching subjects many clinicians never have the opportunity to master, including:
- Psychopharmacology
- Psychophysiology
- Biological Basis of Behavior
- Biological Neuropsychology
- Biostatics and Research
These areas shaped my approach to therapy: grounded in neuroscience, guided by compassion, and focused on helping people rebuild after deep disruption – whether physical, emotional, or neuropsychological.
I am currently licensed as an LMFT in both Nevada and California. My clinical work specializes in:
- Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)
- Post-hematoma and stroke recovery
- Migraine and post ABI headaches
- Medical trauma after severe injury
- Cognitive fatigue and executive dysfunction
- Complex medical-psychological presentations
I integrate brain-based science with trauma-informed psychotherapy, helping patients understand not only what they are feeling but also why their brains and bodies are responding in the way they are.
My goal is to create a space where science and compassion work together – where people can make sense of their symptoms, regain stability, reconnect with themselves, and move forward with clarity, confidence, and hope. No one should have to navigate the very difficult path to brain injury recovery without the help and support they need.
Many of my patients come to me after medical events, neurological diagnoses, or long experiences on not feeling heard or understood by the healthcare system. I also work to help family members and support people learn how to develop their owns tools for self care in the roles they are trying to fill as caregivers.
If you are navigating a brain trauma, neurological changes, or a complex recovery process, I am here to help you understand your brain, restore balance, and help you move toward healing at a pace that respects both your biology and your lived experience.
Why I Do This Work
My path has always centered on the brain—its structure, its physiology, its vast intricacies, mysteries, and its resilience. After earning my doctorate in psychology with a neuroscience emphasis, I pursued clinical work that honors both the biological and emotional realities of human experience.
My work deepened profoundly after sustaining a neurological injury myself. Walking through the fog, exhaustion, sensory overload, pain, and nonlinear recovery taught me what no textbook ever could. That lived experience didn’t pull me away from this calling—it clarified it.
Today, I serve patients with a blend of scientific clarity, clinical insight, and trauma-informed presence. I believe:
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The brain can heal.
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Recovery unfolds in phases.
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No one should navigate neurological suffering alone.
Who I Work With
Appropriate referrals include individuals who are:
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Cognitively intact individuals after ABI
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Fatigued or slowed processing resulting from Acquired Brain Injury (ABI)
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Sensory intolerance (light, sound, motion)
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Persistent or post-traumatic headache/migraine
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Emotional dysregulation after injury
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Difficulty reintegrating into work, school, or complex environments
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Trauma layered onto neurological recovery
You deserve care that is gentle, informed, and steady.
You do not have to navigate this alone.
Lifepaths exists to walk beside you—one step at a time—with compassion, presence, and hope.
I am convinced that when people invest themselves in the work of healing, change happens. Life can be lived in a higher, calmer, more grounded way. Hope can be renewed. Light can return—no matter how deep the struggle.
I love and am deeply passionate about this work. I am honored to walk alongside those rebuilding their lives after neurological adversity, and I am committed to bringing understanding and steadiness into even the darkest places.
Contact me for a free 20-minute phone consultation prior to making your first appointment to see if we are a good fit. I look forward to speaking with you.