I was born in Kansas. I spent my early years wandering outside under blue sky, stopping to find a friend or pick a dandelion. I bring that open vision to my work.
Fast forward to adulthood – I received my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from NYU, while I also delved into understanding life’s beginnings. I did play therapy at a day care center & was involved with research projects on early life. Each of these sources is with me still, since we all bring our early experiences along for the ride into adulthood. I have been working with adults and with children ever since.
While working with young children, I developed special approaches that you can read about when my book (The View from the Sandbox) comes out. It is a series of short-but-true stories of my discoveries with children. Two of them were given the top prizes in a writing contest by The New York Psychological Association in 2012.
I worked with my father, Lester Luborsky, on psychotherapy research. That allowed me to bring his discoveries about what matters in psychotherapy to my work. I coauthored a book with him too, Research & Psychotherapy: The Vital Link.
Education
- Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from New York University
- MA in Psychology (developmental & clinical) from NYU
- BA from Sarah Lawrence College
Advanced Training
- Steven Mitchell Center for Relational Studies
- NYU Postdoctoral Program in Psychotherapy & Psychoanalysis
- New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center
- Life Purpose Institute
- Parent-Infant Institute
- Child Development Center
- Desert Writing Workshop
- Writing from the Heart Workshops
Professional Experience
- Over 25 years of experience doing psychotherapy at all ages & stages of life
- Helping with the varied problems in living that emerge, including anxiety, depression, relationship problems, stress & postraumatic stress, identity & career issues, creative & personal blocks
- Over 25 years of experience working in early childhood settings, helping parents, teachers, and children in varied ways
- Consultant to The Riverdale Neighborhood House early childhood programs since 1987
- Supervision of professionals in training
- Workshops & educating about the art of play therapy