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Sherry's Philosophy for Healing

My philosophy is rooted in five foundational aspects. The first is Compassionate Curiosity, question everything. The second is Angeles Arrien’s, “The Four-Fold Way” - Show Up, Pay Attention, Tell the Truth (without judgment), and Don’t Be Attached to the Results. The third is Mindfulness and Beginner’s Mind, particularly in observing and questioning our automatic thoughts and beliefs. The fourth is, each of us is on our own journey, and it is not my place to, nor could I, dictate yours. And the fifth is, Acceptance over Resistance.

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Regardless of a your “presenting problem”, I generally come from an attachment perspective. I am fully trained in three trauma treatment modalities; Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Brain Spotting (BSP), and the Comprehensive Resource Model (CRM). In addition, I have a lot of training in Internal Family Systems (IFS), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT). While I am trained in these modalities, I do not use any of them independently. Rather, I use them in combination...along with my own additions and modifications.

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Whether you are an individual, a couple or a family, I look forward to meeting you.

Experience

May 2004 - Present: Private Practice

Woodland Hills, CA

Specializing in Eating Disorders, Family & Couples Issues, Trauma/PTSD, Dissociative Identity Disorder and Ritual Abuse

May 2019 - August 2020: Serenity Trauma Center (Day Treatment)

Malibu, CA​

Primary Therapist

February 2017 - February 2018: Reconnect Psychological Services (Residential Treatment)

Malibu, CA​

  • Clinical Director

  • Assisted in creating and opening the program

  • Assisted in hiring of employees

  • Assisted in creating Policies and Procedures and training manuals

  • Oversaw compliance with State Regulations and CARF Standards 

  • Oversaw and provided guidance on Utilization Reviews and did Peer to Peer reviews

April 2016 - February 2017: Reconnect Psychological Services (Day Treatment)

Pacific Palisades, CA

  • CARF Consultant: Oversaw preparation for CARF survey; assisted with employee education regarding CARF Standards; created training forms/checklists/ documents to ensure employee compliance with standards 

  • Eating Disorder Therapist

  • Provided training in Utilization Review and related California health insurance law

October 2012 - February 2017: Butterfly Foundation

Sydney, Australia

  • Independent Contractor: Provided guidance in creating the first non-medical eating disorder treatment center in Australia 

  • Assisted in hiring of employees

June 2008 - September 2012:

Eating Disorder Center of California (Day Treatment)

Brentwood, CA

  • Independent Contractor: Provided training of new Clinical Director and new team of clinicians

  • Clinical Director

January 2017 to November 2007: Monte Nido (Residential Treatment)

Malibu, CA

  • Assistant Clinical Director

  • Provided training for employees at new Monte Nido facilities

August 2002 to January 2007: Monte Nido (Residential Treatment)

Malibu, CA

Primary Therapist​

February 2002 to August 2002: Monte Nido (Residential Treatment)

Malibu, CA

Mental Health Technician

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Passions

Working With and Helping People Heal from Eating Disorders, Trauma and DID

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Guiding Couples Working

through Relationship Issues

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Facilitation of Group Therapy

(including Family Groups)

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Working in Higher Levels of Care

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Providing Presentations, Educational

Training and Consultations

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Speaking Engagements

Basic Tenants of How I Practice

  1. The fourfold way 

  2. Truth without judgment

  3. Acceptance versus resistance; every adversity we face is an opportunity for curiosity and growth

  4. Mindfulness, especially regarding language/words/common sayings

  5. Beginners mind/staying curious without automatic attachment to its meaning

  6. Everybody does the best they can

  7. Nobody has to change even if there’s a strong likelihood that they could benefit from doing so.

  8. Shoulda, coulda, woulda…didn’t.  So instead of judging yourself, let’s just get curious about why you didn’t

  9. Parts work/attachment disruptions early in life

  10. Guided journeys to help heal the attachment disruptions/wounds

  11. EMDR, Brainspotting, CRM

  12. IFS

  13. There are no absolutes, only desired outcomes and what one needs to do in order to get there

  14. Light and dark versus good and bad

  15. Kundalini yoga practices for healing

  16. Identifying and working with one’s inborn temperament

  17. I am not attached to a person

  18. Your path is your own and I have no agenda

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