Current Writing

I have always found value in writing. For me, it offers a powerful tool for sharing secrets of my chosen field of psychology, and even more importantly, of life itself. Starting with academic endeavors including books and journal articles, I often wrote about sexuality and risk-taking, focusing on their joint impact on human lives. Beginning with my work on AIDS and risky behaviors witnessed among teenagers, to an extensive examination of the impact of abuse both on those who are its recipients and those who inflict it, I recognize the power of the written word to help us understand vital all aspects of human behavior. For example, the guidance that clear writing can provide to parents who are seeking answers to questions about their children during a time of panic is valuable.

Accompanying my academic work, I learned to write compelling narratives for non-academics—individual readers who have important questions about the areas that I too am interested in. My first popular non-fiction work, The Romance of Risk: Why Teenagers Do the Things They Do (Basic: Harper Collins, 1997; paperback 1999) was followed by The Sex Lives of Teenagers (Dutton, 2000; Plume, paperback 2000).

Both books were praised as “highly readable” and full of “gripping stories.” Accompanying the publication of these works, I served as a special editor for Newsweek on the school shootings at Columbine in Colorado, writing and editing several pieces. I also became a columnist for the online magazine Salon, publishing stories about teenagers and participated in four book tours across the United States and Canada. An interview with Terri Gross on NPR inspired me to think more about my desire to tell stories and contributed both to my first novel, Metís: Mixed Blood Stories (Sunstone Press, 2010) and my second, Legacy.

My fictional work is deeply committed to understanding change. The questions, conflicts, and nearly unsolvable problems that surface when individuals are captured both by internal and external predators astound me. I have learned that compelling narratives help those who are struggling with their lives. Stories of terrible loss and often unbelievable survival give hope for the future and help us to understand how and why we live.

Philosophy & Practice

My clinical interests have developed over 40 years of practice. I am well-known for my work with children and teenagers who have both engaged in and been affected by risk-taking.

Read More

Advocacy

I have a strong commitment to advocacy, particularly in understanding and addressing the needs of abused children within the state of California and nationwide.

Read More

Teaching

I enjoy working with others who have strong passions for psychiatry and psychotherapy. I have been fortunate to have had many good teachers.

Read More

Receive Periodic Updates

If you are interested in reading my current writings, listening to my podcast, or want updates about my forthcoming book, sign up for our mailing list.