Born and raised in former East Germany, I completed a Diplome (Master degree equivalent) at Humboldt University, Berlin, in 1995. My doctoral studies were completed in California, at the Palo Alto University, where I graduated in 2002 with a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology and a specialization certificate in Neuropsychology. I also finished several predoctoral practica and an APIC accredited internship in assessment/neuropsychological assessment at the VA Palo Alto, CPMC and St. Mary's Medical Center (McAuley Institute) in San Francisco. In 2003 I obtained my psychology licence from the Board of Psychology in California. For post-doctoral work (2 years) I was invited to UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland, where I was employed until 2008. Additional post-doctoral work in neuropsychological assessment included the VA Palo Alto as well as St. Vincent's School for Boys - a level 12 residential treatment center for mainly foster children with severe psychiatric challenges secondary to abuse and neglect. Since 2006 I have been in private practice in Oakland and Berkeley, with the exception of a period in 2013/14, when our family of five (we currently have an elementary,- middle,- and high schooler in the Berkeley USD), spent more than a year in Berlin to have our children experience life in a different culture, with all its joys and challenges. 

 

In my work with children/adolescents and their families I strive to be thorough, attentive and sensitive to the many troubling issues that families can experience, and I try to be as responsive as possible.  I help parents better understand how the results of my evaluation translates into the everyday world of their child, their behavior and emotions.

 

Assessments consist of interviews, comprehensive testing, a detailed report that typically contains a diagnosis and specific recommendations for schools, professionals working with your child, a treatment plan, and a final feedback session.  During this process we learn valuable information including how your child perceives, mediates information and then produces responses, how he/she learns, and how they tend to cope with adverse experiences. Besides helping parents find the right resources, I want them to leave my office informed with a new understanding of how their child processes information, how that informs their behavior in certain circumstances and what causes any upsets.  Ideally my report serves as a reference to go back to when things get difficult again or change later.  I also strive to empower your child/adolescent with an new understanding of how their brain functions in response to various tasks or challenges and give them insights on how to help themselves when they are overwhelmed or frustrated. Ultimately this is in the service of boosting self-confidence, which is what a child needs to meet the ever increasing demands of educational settings. A confident child is a competent one.

 

Lastly, I assist teachers/professionals working with your child to understand and connect the puzzle pieces just as I did when I put them together, so that it all comes together and your child is understood consistently across settings. 

 

I hope you find the content of this website helpful. Any feedback is welcomed and appreciated.