ABOUT
Do you wish to transform your personal suffering and enhance joy, long-term? In my mindfulness-based psychotherapy practice, I work with clients who struggle regulating their emotions and behaviors by integrating mindfulness, cognitive-behavioral approaches and neuropsychology. My approach is skills-focused and present-oriented.
When working with clients, my primary motivation is based in understanding and support for the worth and dignity of each person and his, her or their unique circumstances. As a clinician, I bring to my work unwavering enthusiasm, curiosity, and a deep commitment to professional excellence.
A little bit more about me
Originally I am from Germany and have an extensive background of close to 30 years practicing mindfulness and meditation as well as studying Buddhist philosophy, in Germany and the United States. I began practicing Buddhist meditation in my mid-twenties motivated by a deep existential desire to understand the meaning of life, in general, and my personal purpose, in particular. Over the years, I have studied and practiced with a number of renowned western Buddhist meditation teachers such as Ven. Ayya Khema, Dr. Sylvia Kolk, Dr. Joan Halifax Roshi, Lama Tsultrim Allione, Stephen Batchelor, and Matthew Flickstein.
I decided to go into the field of clinical social work and psychotherapy with the goal to combine my in-depth knowledge of the practice of mindfulness with the application of psychotherapy treatments that have been proven to effectively increase clients' quality of life and well-being.
From 2012 until 2023, I was a team member of Santa Fe DBT LLC, an outpatient private practice group where I provided comprehensive Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Dialectical Behavior Therapy Prolonged Exposure (DBT-PE). Currently, I do not provide any DBT services. I am also a faculty member at the Rio Grande Mindfulness Institute (RGMI), a non-profit that provides mindfulness-based trainings, workshops and retreats to teachers, leaders and educators in New Mexico's schools and colleges.
Other special interests of mine are racial/ethnic/cultural awareness and equality, LGBTQIA+ issues and gender studies, non-violent communication (NVC), and neuroscience/neuropsychology.
And last but not least, in my free time, I am a dog sports enthusiast with a passion for behaviorism and rewards-based training. Currently, we share our lives with a Berger Picard, who is very active and loves Dock Diving, Urban Parkour, Mondioring, Barnhunt, Nosework and Agility. Sometimes we compete. But most of the time, we learn new things together and play with each other to hone our skills and strengthen the human-animal bond. When talking to friends in the larger dog sports community, I learned that many of my friends would like to work with a therapist who understands their passion and also the challenges that come with owning, training and competing with their dogs. If it is important to you and our therapeutic work to also address concerns related to the relationship with your dog(s), please know I share your passion and welcome those explorations.
Qualifications
In private psychotherapy practice since 2012
DBT-Linehan Board of Certification, Certified Clinician™
Intensively trained in DBT Prolonged Exposure Protocol for PTSD
Board-Certified Social Work Supervisor
Instructor for mindfulness and meditation since 2002
Active mindfulness and meditation practice since 1995
Master's degree in Clinical Social Work from Smith College School for Social Work, Northampton, MA
B.A. in Psychology from the College of Santa Fe, Santa Fe, NM
Buddhist Teachers
Matthew Flickstein
Clinical Social Work Mentor:
Writings, Publications and Speaking Engagements
Co-Presenter with Cedar R. Koons, LCSW at the 2014 NASW Conference in Albuquerque, NM: "Mindfulness for Everyone: Culturally Sensitive Clinical Techniques".
Master's Thesis (2012): "Mindfulness in Dialectical Behavior Therapy: An Exploration of Therapists' Experiences with Personal Meditation and Mindfulness Practices". Northampton, MA: Smith College School for Social Work.