About Me
I am a mother to two amazing little humans and a passionate licensed Clinical Psychologist (CA PSY#28457) specializing in children and families. I bring over fifteen years of experience in community and multidisciplinary clinical settings as well as research, teaching, consultation and training.
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In addition to holding a masters and doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology, I am an endorsed Infant-Family Early Childhood Mental Health Specialist (IFECMHS) through the California Center for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health and hold a national credential as a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP). I am nationally rostered as a practitioner/supervisor in Child-Parent Psychotherapy (CPP), with additional training in Perinatal Child Parent Psychotherapy (P-CPP) from Alicia Lieberman, PhD. I am also certified in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) with additional training in Adapted TF-CBT for children and individuals with developmental disabilities. I am trained as an educator of infant massage through Infant Massage USA, and as a facilitator of the UCLA SEEDS (Strategies for Enhancing Early Developmental Success)/SPROUTS program for supporting professionals, parents and caregivers as well as having completed a certificate training in Maternal Mental Health through Postpartum Support International.
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Through my work with young children and families impacted by traumatic stress, I have developed expertise in understanding child trauma and maltreatment as well as the healing power of relationships – which is where Cultivating Little Connections LLC was born. Whereby my training, expertise and applied direct service work with infants, young children and their families make me an adept partner to provide invaluable consultation and training for service providers and programs who aim to foster resilience and healthy development in the children and families they support.
Trauma really does confront you with the best and worst. You see the horrendous things that people do to each other, but you also see resiliency, the power of commitment, the power to onself, the knowledge that there are things that are larger than our individual survival.
~Bessel van der Kolk
Services
Consultation
Professional consultation can be provided to programs, agencies and providers related to family and early childhood mental health to identify and overcome barriers as well as promote positive outcomes.
Training
Professional trainings on a wide range of trauma and relationally focused topics can be provided to transdisciplinary staff working in the early childhood space in order to broaden capacity and understanding.
Infant Massage
Infant massage instruction and education can be provided 1:1 or for small groups of expectant parents and/or infants with caregivers to promote growth, foster development and enhance relational attachment.