Clinical Education and Training
Integrative Saybrook Certification in Teaching Excellence (InCiTE) June 2022: Awarded for taking online pedagogy beyond ‘best practices’ and into a superior standard of teaching.
Michigan School of Professional Psychology (formerly Center for Humanistic Studies)– Farmington Hills MI
- Doctorate of Psychology 2006
- Psy. S Clinical and Humanistic Psychology 2004
- MA Clinical and Humanistic Psychology 1998
The University of Michigan – Dearborn, MI
- BA Clinical Psychology 1996
Spiritual Education & Training
Spiritualist Minister of Divine Healing – 1993
The Healer Development Program – Royal Oak, MI
Two year course of study in the metaphysical healing arts.
Minister of Divine Healing / Director – 1995
Spectrum Healing – Ferndale, MI
Reiki I initiation – 1998
Happy Blessing Reiki Center – Kay Hopkins
Sworn as Priestess into the Western Mystery Tradition – 1998
The Grail Lodge – Ann Arbor MI
Sworn as Bard into the Order of Bards, Oviates & Druids – 1999
International Order – Independent Study
Reiki II initiation – 2000
Inner Light Services – Linda Fisher
Reiki Master Initiation – 2001
Cristina Pavey – Reiki Master
Current Position
April 2022 – present
Saybrook University, Pasadena CA.
Core Faculty: Humanistic and Clinical Psychology
1998-present
King & Associates Psychotherapy, Farmington Hills MI.
Owner of clinical psychology practice. Services provided include individual and group psychotherapy, psychological evaluation, supervision and training, presentations & lectures. Orientations include existential-humanistic (E-H), cognitive-behavioral (CBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), interpersonal (ITP) and psychospiritual.
2017-present
The American Priestess Training Program – Farmington Hills, MI
Offering ongoing training in ceremonial and healing arts, outside of organized religion. Fundamentals skills taught include ceremonial design and execution, divination, energy healing and the importance of personality & soul alignment.
Current Editorial Activities
2020-present
The Journal of Humanistic Psychology Editorial Review Board Member.
2019-present
American Psychological Association Division 17 (Counseling Psychology), Section 13 (Human Animal Interaction) –
Human Animal Interaction Bulletin (HAIB) Editorial Review Board member
Board-member Appointments
2019-present
Society for Humanistic Psychology – Executive Board Member at Large
~Accommodation Chair
~JEDI committee
~Women’s task force
~Conference committee
2018-2022
APA Division 17 – Human Animal Intervention –
~Emotional Support Animal (ESA) Position Statement Committee chair
~Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) Competencies Committee member
~Competencies and Ethics Committee
2019-2021
Teacher’s Pet – Executive Board Member. Teacher’s Pet is an intervention program pairing troubled youth with hard-to-adopt shelter dogs for multi-week workshops.
Previous Experience
The Michigan School of Psychology Farmington Hills MI (2008-2018)
Master’s program coordinator , Core & Associated Faculty, IDEA coordinator, dissertation advisor and faculty supervisor.
Coordination of curriculum, faculty, online teaching initiatives, clinical training, evaluation, admissions, strategic planning & student retention.
Teaching emphasis on humanistic values and experiential learning. Courses taught include:
Existential and Phenomenological Psychology
Core Concepts in Humanistic Psychology
Identity and Family Transactions
Fundamentals of Psychopathology
Practicum in Clinical Psychology
Clinical Skills
Group Theory & Process
Key Processes
Master’s Thesis Project
Dissertation Chairing and Advising
Voyage Counseling Center – Farmington Hills MI (4/04 -6-09)
Outpatient psychotherapy with emphasis on the psycho-spiritual treatment of mood disorders (anxiety, depression, OCD etc), addiction, recovery & relapse prevention, teen issues, women’s empowerment, spiritual clarification & personality problems. Modalities include: Group therapy, Solution-focused therapies, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Rational Emotive Therapy (RET), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, behavior modification / systematic desensitization, humanistic & transpersonal interventions and existential psychotherapy.
Oakland Community College
Royal Oak & Southfield MI (7/03 – periodically ongoing)
Adjunct professor of psychology, teaching Intro Psych and Abnormal Psych to classes of 30-35 students. Multiple intelligence and experiential formats used whenever possible.
South Woodward Clinic – Birmingham, MI (6/03 to 4/04)
Private practice psychotherapy offering service to adults, adolescents and children, with emphasis on anxiety disorders, dual diagnosis, addiction & recovery, relapse prevention, women’s empowerment, Borderline Personality Disorder, and depressive disorders. Modalities include: Solution-focused therapies, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Rational Emotive Therapy (RET), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, behavior modification / systematic desensitization. Clinic closed after 20 years, all therapists relocated.
Inner Dynamics – Waterford MI (5/99 to 6/03)
Private practice psychotherapy offering services to adults, families, and children, with emphasis on women’s empowerment and adolescent and child therapy.
Insight Recovery Services – Clarkston MI (6/02 ongoing)
Residential and outpatient therapy, specializing in CDMI (chemical dependency and mental illness / dual diagnosis). Clients are in the early stages of sobriety. Therapy focuses on the identification of relapse triggers and plans for same, the establishment of a sober support group, 12-step sponsor, regular eating and sleeping patterns, and the replacement of negative self talk with positive. CBT techniques used to identify distorted thinking styles that may lead to relapse. DBT techniques used to minimize impulsive behaviors. RET techniques used to deal with cravings and urges.
Sequoia Recovery Services – Pontiac, MI (11/00 to 4/02)
Program Director – S.A.M.I. Program (Substance Abuse Mental Illness) A joint effort between the Office of Substance Abuse Services and Community Mental Health, providing IOP treatment of dual diagnosis, with domiciliary housing next door. 24-90 days of residential treatment, followed by 6-12 months of outpatient aftercare and ongoing mentoring & alumni activities. Supervision of clinical staff and 3 Master’s level interns. Quality Assurance monitors and reports. Utilization review. Obtainment of treatment authorizations. Monthly billing submission. Policy & procedure enforcement. Accreditation preparation. Crisis intervention. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). Case mgmt / discharge planning. Dual diagnosis treatment. Relapse prevention. Probation / Parole compliance. Vocational rehabilitation. Aftercare / Alumni / Mentoring program. 1:1 & Group therapy
Communities against Minors in Possession (CAMP) 11/00-4/02)
Program Director – Adolescent Services
Education and prevention in a weekend camp setting for minors in possession.Responsible for all facets of operation – scheduling of speakers, lesson plans, court-compliance standards, food, lodging, drug screening, assessments, report writing and 16 hours of didactic materials each weekend.
Easter Seals (Formerly Community Mental Health) – Pontiac, MI (3/99-3/01)
Collaborative Solutions, The ACE program and Step Forward
Mental health clinician working in a collaborative effort between the Office of Substance Abuse and CMH, designed to reduce recidivism and relapse. Clients are “dually diagnosed” having both a mental health and a substance abuse diagnosis on Axis 1, with actual or high risk of criminal involvement. Clinical assessments – Jail & Community. Person Centered Planning. CARF standards. Quality Assurance, Utilization Review. Case management. Medication review management. Treatment team presentations. 5-axis diagnosing. Implementation of DBT group therapy. Crisis intervention. Group & individual therapy. Psychological Testing. CDMI, EI, DD, & MI populations. Brief solution focused therapy. Dialectical Behavioral Therapy. Probation / Parole compliance. 401 criteria petitioning. Relapse prevention. Borderline & Antisocial personality disorders. Monthly agency newsletter
Catholic Social Services of Wayne County – Detroit, MI (12/98-3/99)
Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Grant funded therapist
- Telephone Crisis intervention
- Live Crisis intervention
- Supervision of volunteers
- Critical Incident Stress Debriefing
- Domestic Violence
- Sexual Assault
- Adults molested as children
- Post traumatic stress treatment
HAVEN – Pontiac, Mi (11/95-3/96)
Crisis counselor – 20 bed domestic violence shelter:
- Telephone crisis intervention
- Face to face crisis intervention
- Intake & assessment
- Education & presentations
The Common Ground Sanctuary – Pontiac, MI (8/95-1/99)
(In conjunction with Oakland County Community Mental Health)
- Telephone Emergency Services provider (4-98 to 1-99)
- Supervision of volunteers
- Telephone crisis intervention
- Face to face crisis intervention
- Assessment & referral
- Frequent caller tracking
- Statistical data entry
Mental Health Technician (2-96 to 4-98)
- Crisis residential treatment
- Psychiatric & dual diagnosis stabilization
- Non-violent crisis resolution
Mission Statement:
An ongoing commitment to end dualistic and dichotomous divisions between the sacred and the secular.
The empowerment of humanity through:
~assertiveness training.
~facilitation of greater body-acceptance.
~the inclusion of feminist scholarship and matriarchal values whenever possible.
~education regarding the dangers of Patriarchal values and structures.
~the creation of authenticity circles for psychological and spiritual support.
~the creation of psycho-spiritual training programs that offer practical tools for surviving and thriving in a Patriarchal monotheistic culture.
~participation in campaigns targeting media images that spread fear, endorse violence and promote sexism or racism.
Social justice advocacy for the inclusion of excluded and disenfranchised people, places and things.
The fostering of self-directed learning in students and clients.
Writings about the intersection of psychology and spirituality, in varied forms of media.
The creation of a private practice that offers a safe and sacred space in which people can look honestly at themselves and their lives, in relation to the existential tenants of freedom, choice and responsibility.
Continuing self education, self actualization, and expanding areas of expertise.
Ongoing expressions of love for, and belief in, all that is sacred in friends, family, peers, colleagues and clients.