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Education and Training
I believe that the lived experience and tending to personal and collective experience is our greatest teacher. In so doing, I have devoted my life to understanding the human condition and our relationships to each other and the world. My formal education developed and refined my innate interests and strengths. I earned my Ph.D. in Depth Psychology with an emphasis in Somatic Studies from Pacifica Graduate Institute in 2018, an M.A. in Existential-Phenomenological Psychology from Seattle University in 1996, and my B.A. in Political Science, with a minor in Spanish Literature from UC San Diego in 1987. One of the reasons I chose my work is that there is no end to learning and growth. I attend regular conferences, study groups, and classes not only to maintain my license as a mental health counselor, but because as humans we have the capacity for change and evolution throughout our lives. In addition to my professional training as a psychotherapist, I have been an Iyengar yoga practitioner since 1988, a former yoga asana teacher, and practiced mindfulness meditation for a decade which was transformative to my being-in-the-world.
Experience
I have been in private practice in Seattle since 2000, working with individuals, couples, families and groups. I have worked in the human services field my entire working life in a number of settings which include, teaching English conversation in Japan, as a residential counselor for a private boarding high school, a case manager for Big Brothers/Big Sisters, the YMCA of Greater Seattle serving homeless and incarcerated youth and young adults, and at Family Services of King County as a psychotherapist working primarily with professionals in the high-tech industry, their families, and providing EAP services. I bring a diverse perspective to my work and am committed to deepening my understanding of the human experience. I believe that solid training, breadth of experience, and one's commitment to one's personal growth and healing are essential ingredients to being a skillful and mature therapist.
Conference Presentations and Papers
- 35th International Human Sciences Research Conference, Ottawa Canada 2016
Executive's Experience of Envy in the Workplace: A Collaborative Phenomenological Study. Toback, S. et al. (2018)
- United States Association for Body Psychotherapy National Conference: The Science of Connection, Santa Barbara, CA 2018
The Experience of Referrals Between Depth Psychotherapists and Somatic Practitioners. Loerch, D.M. (2018 Dissertation)