About Pat

I was a psychotherapist near Nyack, New York, for twenty-six years, with a Masters in Counseling Psychology and a Masters in Social Work (New York State board certified for psychotherapy—LCSW-R). Larry was a Senior Vice President for Fidelity Investments on Wall Street. We loved the people and the seasons, although we had a difficult time with the cold. With that, we moved to San Francisco, CA. Now I am a licensed psychotherapist in California.

Larry and I ran the New York Marathon (Larry’s fourth marathon—my first and last). I would have never finished if it weren’t for Larry running by my side, and the encouragement of the people lining the streets. Twenty-six miles of citizens yelling their support gave me the incentive I needed to finish.

I have also earned my single-engine pilot’s license. I flew a Cessna 172, a very reliable and common high-wing plane. As I flew alone thousands of feet above the earth, I would feel like I was gliding on the wings of angels. It’s tough not being able to ask for directions, though. On my first solo flight, I thought I was upstate New York but was actually near Philadelphia, PA. You can imagine my surprise, and the surprise of the control tower that hooked onto my signal.

I earned my certification in American Herbs from Rosemary Gladstar’s Sage Mountain herbal school, and studied Traditional Chinese Medicine. My interest in herbalism began when I picked up a magazine called Prevention and read it, and suggested an article in the magazine to a client. I continued reading more and more about the nature of herbs and their applications. Eventually, I integrated my growing knowledge into my practice. Two Tibetan doctor friends taught me about Traditional Chinese Medicine. 

I have authored four mystery short-story collections, and written numerous plays produced in the US and Canada. Loving theatre and expanding my writing experience, I studied to be a theatre reviewer. Working with editor Barry David Horwitz, and after 30 reviews at Theatrius.com, I was accepted into the San Francisco Bay Area Critics Circle.

Larry and I love animals, and have had some fun and zany pets: 

Tanya, rescued from a gas station late at night.	Sara, rescued in the rain, wandering the streets after losing some fights.	Sugar Brown Betty, “Betty Boop”, twenty-seven year old retired jumper.
Gaia and our Ragdoll, Kiki	Jake, the Flake, a Tonkinese that never stopped.	Jesse James, rescued from a 3′ by 3′ room.
An older Kiki and Jake	Gaia and Kiki, friends til the end.	Fresh Freddie, a Cockatiel, on the left, was a telephone-pole rescue. Zany Zena, a Senegal on the right.
Coral, our Betta fish, lived four years, and accompanied us on two cross-country trips.	Tayya was another rescue. She was an Australian cattle dog and Lab mix that loved all people and most animals. Especially fond of Golden Retrievers and White Labs.	Gaia with neighbor, Henry David the Burro.
	Our new rescue, Lani, is a lab/border collie mix with endless energy and different colored toes.