About Bonnie

Why I do this work.

When my child was 6, a UCLA-trained neuropsychologist told us he would never be cognitively normal and we should save for group home care for when he became an adult. He is now an honor student, creatively gifted, and on track to live a typical life. He embraces his neurodivergent quirks, and pursues what he desires despite naysayers who may stop him. The changes I’ve seen in him inspired me to help other parents to help their kids as well.

My most valuable experience is that I have been a special education mom for over 17 years, and I have found ways to help my children thrive despite the school and despite their diagnoses. I have two children with IEPs, and I have been their advocate every single step of the way. I have also worked as a school counseling intern and an educational therapist in schools, providing counseling services to students with IEPs.

I currently am a licensed professional clinical counselor in California. I provide therapy services in Ventura and Santa Barbara Counties as well as teletherapy for people in the rest of the state. I provide therapy for neurodivergent individuals, parents of neurodivergent kids, and people with social anxiety. I do not provide educational advocacy services anymore, but I can coach parents through the process.

I’ve lost count of the number of SSTs, 504s, and IEPs I have attended. In our old district, we had to fight really hard to get help for my older son. We ended up hiring a lawyer, which in many ways was more stressful than working with the school. In our new district, they have been amazing at offering services to help both of our children. The new district’s approach allowed me to focus on how I could help my children outside of school so they could overcome their difficulties.

My goal: Help neuordivergent families to thrive!

#1: I can provide therapy support for your neurodivergent child.
Whether it is learning to accept their diagnosis, build skills to self-advocate, or just learn to manage emotional stress, I can work with your child to help exercise their emotional resiliency. I have extensive experience working with youth in schools, and I enjoy providing psychoeducation, teaching skills, and helping them learn how to achieve their goals.

#2: I can support you as a parent of a neurodivergent child.
I know how hard it can be to parent a child with learning difficulties. I can provide therapy services to help you manage the emotional toll, find effective solutions, and move towards a more balanced home life.

#3: I can help you get to the root of the developmental and learning difficulties.
While most believe that once diagnosed the brain wiring never changes, I have seen over and over how the right approach can dramatically improve learning difficulties. Just because your child has a specific diagnosis doesn’t mean he/she is stuck with those symptoms for his/her entire life. I can help you ascertain the best steps to take to help your child outside of school so they can excel and thrive.

Publications

In addition to my experience in the school systems, I am the author of the Special Ed Mom Survival Guide: How to prevail in the special education process and discover life-long strategies for you and your child. I am also co-author of a book on auditory processing disorder (Same Journey, Different Paths: Stories of Auditory Processing Disorder), and creator of Grounded for Life, a pack of 52 exercises for grounding.

Education:

• Doctorate in Integral Psychology (in progress), California Institute for Human Science
• Masters in Educational Counseling with a concentration in school and family-based counseling, University of La Verne,
• Masters in Spiritual Psychology, University of Santa Monica
• Bachelor of Architecture, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo

Professional Associations:
        

Credentials & Certifications:

• Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor #13456 (California)
• PPS Credential in School Counseling
• Wrightslaw Special Education Law & Advocacy Training
• Structure of Intellect (SOI) assessor
• Irlen Syndrome screener
• Retained Primary Reflex screener
• Murphy-Meisgeier Type Indicator for Children® (MMTIC®) assessor