After Receiving my Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Wyoming in 1979 I went directly to Los Angeles to complete my doctorate at California School of Professional Psychology Alliant University in clinical psychology in 1984.  My rigorous graduate training included four internships spanning school psychology at Daniel Murphy High School, evaluation and treatment of abused children and adolescents in a residential setting at McLaren Hall, criminal state hospital and adult neuropsychological assessment and treatment at Metropolitan State Hospital and Jungian analysis and dream interpretation at C. G. Jung Institute  of Los Angeles.  The Institute afforded opportunities to train under Ernest Rossi, Ph.D. for Eriksonian hypnosis strategies and techniques.  A condition of my C. G. Jung internship also required personal analysis participation.

Although California offered many professional opportunities I decided to return to my native Colorado where I became employed at Aurora Community Mental Health Center. 

I then moved on to become the clinical director of Horizon Hospital in downtown Denver.  I was the supervisor and coordinator of the departments of emergency evaluation, on site education, recreation therapy, chemical dependency and paraprofessional psychiatric technicians.  I also directed the Training and Development departments, Crisis Intervention and Patient Management Strategies.