My Background
A native of California, I graduated from Sonoma State University with a Masters in Counseling Psychology. I was raised in Santa Cruz, CA and pursued a B.A. in Environmental Studies at Evergreen State College in Olympia, WA. My inquiry into the healing role of nature in humans’ lives propelled me in to teaching Environmental Education through out the Western States to teenagers in wilderness settings.
The emotional and social growth I witnessed in teens in wilderness environments inspired me to pursue training in mental health with the vision of promoting nature as an integral part of creating and maintaining positive mental health. Along with my traditional office based practice I provide occasional nature based counseling groups as another avenue to support healing and self growth.
My Counseling Approach
I am dedicated to affecting change and creating hope and health in the lives of teens and adults through counseling. I use several proven methods of therapy including Family Systems Therapy, Cognitive Behaviral Therapy, Somatic Psychotherapy and EMDR for trauma and abuse Recovery. My approach focuses on the avoidance of blame. Instead, I explore how the whole family is affected by the problems you are experiencing and each member in the family can grow, so that you all can function more harmoniously.
Josie provides Teen Counseling and Teen Parenting Education in Sebastopol, Santa Rosa, Windsor and greater Sonoma County.