Diana’s approach to working with clients is a Client Centered Approach. She believes that most clients have the answers to their problems within themselves, but these solutions are often obscured by stress, low self-esteem, grief and loss, and many other factors that get in the way of clear seeing. Diana adopts a collaborative style with clients and likes to work alongside individuals as a member of a team, honoring clients’ expertise about who they are and what may work for them. She has collected a variety of tools over her more than 20 years in the field of mental health that she offers in order to tackle problems from several  directions.  Focusing on non-judgmental and strength-based support, Diana encourages clients to take an active part in making positive life changes.

Diana recognizes that childhood events and past relationships influence us in ways we often don’t realize.  She helps individuals decide which patterns are useful and how to reinforce them and which habitual patterns are causing problems and need to be discarded. Some of the strategies Diana can offer to clients are ACT (Acceptance and Commitment Therapy), CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy), DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) and Positive Psychology. Her extensive training in DBT enables her to teach effective skills to eliminate self-harm, suicidal ideation, and risky behavior and to help those who have problems regulating their emotions.

 Mindfulness based therapy is one of Diana’s specialties and she leads a Mindfulness Meditation group on Sundays at the St. Louis Wellness Center where clients and the larger community can learn mindfulness through meditation and group discussion. Diana has a passion for the intersection between brain science, contemplation and psychotherapy, and offers her clients who are interested, the newest research on these subjects and how they can be combined to effect positive change.

Diana also works with couples who have hit a roadblock in their relationships. She teaches conflict resolution and communication skills so that couples can continue the work of nurturing their bond long after therapy is completed. Diana works with both heterosexual and gay/lesbian couples. Issues addressed include affair recovery, attachment issues, communication, conflict resolution and parenting.

Diana has more than 2o years of experience in the mental health field.

Having worked in a community mental health agency treating clients with depression, anxiety, Bipolar Disorder and PTSD (Posttraumatic Stress Disorder), Diana is comfortable collaborating with clients’ psychiatrists and is familiar with medication issues that can crop up.

As a Certified Co-occurring Disorders Diplomat, Diana has extensive training and experience helping those who have addictions of various kinds. Her training as a CCDP-D allows her to work with those who have mental health issues combined with substance use problems.

Diana earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and her Master’s Degree in Marriage, Child and Family Counseling from San Jose State University in California. She is a Licensed Professional Counselor in Missouri.

Diana has flexible hours to accommodate her clients.  To schedule an appointment, please call Diana at 314-808-5970.