About Me

Welcome

Hi, I'm Jeannie. I'm a licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (since 2005) with a practice in Newport Beach, CA. I was a professor in the Graduate Psychology department of Vanguard University for about 14 years and now devote myself to my counseling practice full time.

I've always been drawn to therapy and I love what I do. In college, when I was trying to decide between becoming a writer or a therapist, I could not get away from how much I wanted to be part of peoples' healing journey.

Growing up

My own growing up years were not the easiest. Especially my teen years. I remember the despair I felt, and the certainty that nobody would understand or could possibly help. This has led to one of my passions, working with teens. I feel a special calling to this stage of life and love the sassy, unsure, angry, creative, and confusing time this can be.

Hurdles

I have experienced trauma in my life. The journey to understand and not feel owned by the experience has been long and arduous. I'm proud of the personal work I've done and have much to share with others who want their minds, emotions, bodies, and choices back.

Here to help

Sometimes people ask, "How can you listen to this all day? Don't you get annoyed/tired/overwhelmed?" No, I don't. I love what I do and use my personal time to re-charge. I take the therapy work you do seriously which means I take my self-care seriously too. My favorite ways to re-charge are spending time with loved ones, reading anything by Brandon Sanderson, hiking, and gaming (gamers - you will find a few easter eggs around my office).

If I can be of any help to you or your family, please do not hesitate to call.