Description
This expert offers a new perspective in litigation, using family social science. Her case reports look beyond the quantified value of a person’s life to assess the intangible losses which are unique to each family based on their structure and systemic functioning.
The potential for litigation is in having the full story. She assists attorneys and other legal professionals with including but not limited to cases involving family loss due to wrongful death, personal injury, medical malpractice, and ambiguous loss. Through empirical research methodology, she documents the quality and quantity of the services and benefits that are most significant to family members including care, comfort, companionship, aid, counsel, advice, protection, security, special skills, and services.
Provides law firms and attorneys with:
- Professional consultation and assessment of family loss
- Professional opinions and expert report regarding loss in a family
- Expert witness services for legal claims/litigation, including testimony.
With an extensive background and training in family social science and family systems, she uses qualified empirical research methodologies and the theoretical foundations of her discipline to assess the pecuniary losses, both quantitative and qualitative, of survivors after the death or disability of a loved one. She provides documentation of the intangible elements of pecuniary loss, including:
- Loss of care, comfort, companionship (loss of consortium)
- Loss of aid, guidance, advice, and counsel
- Loss of protection and security
- Loss of special skills, services, and benefits
She can also assess symptomology experienced by surviving family members, including complicated grief and ambiguous loss in jurisdictions where damages for such situations are recoverable.
Education:
Ph.D. University of Minnesota, St. Paul, Minnesota, August 1999 – May 2004
- Doctoral Degree: Department of Family Social Science
- Area of Concentration: Marriage and Family Therapy, COAMFTE Accredited
- Internship and Practicum: Center for Life Transformation. September 2002 – April 2004.
- Reproductive Medicine and Infertility Associates. September 2000 – September 2002.
- Dissertation: Alternative Strategies of Dissolving the Economic Partnership of Marriage
- Awards: Neubeck Award, Department of Family Social Science (2004). University of Minnesota
- Doctoral Dissertation Block Grant (2002 – 2003).
- Research Interests: Family therapy, sexuality, infertility, and family work/life balance. Skills:
- Fluent in conversational Spanish, SPSS Statistical software program, Microsoft Word, Microsoft
- Excel, Google Docs.
M.S. Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, August 1999
- Master of Science: Department of Human Development and Family Studies
- Emphasis: Marriage and Family Therapy, COAMFTE Accredited
- Thesis: “An investigation of the relationship between self-esteem and emotion work on couple
- satisfaction” (quantitative research)
- Advisor: Ronald Werner-Wilson, Ph.D.
- Coordinator: Colorado State University Premarital program. December 1997 – March 1999.
B.S. University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, May 1995
- Bachelor’s of Individualized Studies: Family Social Science, Psychology, and Spanish
- Practicum: Counseling/Spanish
- Honors Thesis: Students’ Attitude Change in a Marriage and Family Course
- Advisor: David Olson, Ph.D.
- Honors and Awards: Summa Cum Laude, Phi Beta Kappa, Golden Key National Honors Society,
- Dean’s List all semesters
Clinical Background:
Clinical member and Approved Supervisor:
American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy (AAMFT)
Licensed Therapist in Private Practice: Arden Hills Office Park, Arden Hills, Minnesota, April 2013 – present.
Providing therapy to individuals, couples, and families.
Supervisor: Providing independent supervision to individuals, dyads, and groups for those working towards licensure in marriage and family therapy. 2004 – present.
Licensed Therapist in Private Practice: New Brighton Family Service Center, New Brighton,
Minnesota, January 2010 – April 2013.
Provided therapy to individuals, couples, and families.
Licensed Therapist in Private Practice: Healthy Measures, Maple Grove, Minnesota, May 2006 – 2010.
Provided therapy to individuals, couples, and families.
Supervisor: Emily Program, St. Paul, Minnesota, September 2008 – January 2009.
Provided supervision for intern therapists for an interdisciplinary team at a clinic that specializes in treating eating disorders.
Supervisor: University of Minnesota, Star Clinic, Minneapolis, MN May 2008 – September 2008.
Provided supervision for intern therapists for an interdisciplinary team at a clinic that specializes in treating eating disorders.
Licensed Therapist in Private Practice: Center for Life Transformation, Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, April 2004 – May 2006.
Provided therapy to individuals, couples, and families.
Intern and Practicum Therapist: Center for Life Transformation, Brooklyn Center, Minnesota, September 2002 – April 2004.
Provided therapy to individuals, couples, and families. Supervisor: Anna Hultquist, Ph.D.
Practicum Therapist: Reproductive Medicine and Infertility Associates, St. Paul, Minnesota, September 2000 – 2002.
Provided therapy to individuals and couples. Provide assessment and consultation for infertility services Supervisor: Debra Simmons, Ph.D.
Practicum Therapist: Meta-Associates. St. Paul, Minnesota, Spring 2000 – August 2000. Provided therapy to couples. Supervisor: Ellie Adams, M.S.
Practicum Therapist: Front Range Psychotherapy, Fort Collins, Colorado, August 1998 – July
Provided therapy for couples, families, and individuals. Supervisor: Dr. Roger Cauglin and Dr. John Grogan
Practicum Therapist: Pro-Bono Project, Fort Collins Colorado, August 1998 – July 1999.
Provided therapy for couples, families, and individuals. Supervisor: Dr. Roger Cauglin
Practicum Therapist: Colorado State Marriage and Family Therapy Clinic, Fort Collins, Colorado, August 1997 – July 1999.
Planned and provided therapy for couples, families and individuals and groups. Maintained case files. Supervisor: Dr. Toni Zimmerman
Case Manager: TSE Inc, Roseville, Minnesota, February 1996 – August 1997.
Case management for clients. Data analysis of goals, wrote quarterly reports, wrote and revised goals and methodologies for clients. Planned and implemented client programs. Conducted meetings with IDT members (resident caregivers, social workers, guardians, and family members). Worked daily with clients and cared for their personal needs. Supervisor: Chris Stiener
Teaching:
Course Instructor, Adjunct Program Assistant Professor: Saint Mary’s University of
Minnesota: MFT 670, Practicum Course. Summer 2012.
Course Instructor, Adjunct Program Assistant Professor: Saint Mary’s University of
Minnesota: MFT 670, Practicum Course. Spring 2012.
Course Instructor, Adjunct Program Assistant Professor: Saint Mary’s University of
Minnesota: MFT 670, Practicum Course. Summer 2011.
Course Instructor: University of Minnesota: FSoS 8003 Current Issues in Family Social Science. Spring 2010
Course Instructor: University of Minnesota: FSoS 8035 Couple and Family Assessment. Fall
- Course Instructor: St. Paul, Minnesota, AAMFT Approved Supervision Course. Fall 2004.