About Ellen (she/her)
Forever fascinated by people and their stories, I knew from a young age that becoming a therapist was what I wanted to do, professionally. I am invigorated by this work and for over decade have had the privilege of working with hundreds of clients. I’ve lived in Santa Cruz for 20 years and received a degree in Clinical Counseling Psychology from the Institute of Transpersonal Psychology (now Sofia University).
I am actively engaged in our local community, socially and politically. I am passionate about workers’ rights and have volunteered with various organizations providing support for immigrant communities, environmental and racial justice, and the LGBTQIA+ community (of which I am an "out" member). I enjoy being in various leadership roles within our local community of therapists, and have served as Secretary of the Board of Directors for the Santa Cruz Chapter of the California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists (CAMFT) since 2016.
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My certification through the Holistic Health Program at UC Santa Cruz led me to become interested in somatic forms of psychotherapy. Outside of my counseling work, I actively train in various martial arts and have practiced insight meditation for decades–both of which influence my psychotherapy practice.