Biography

Helen's Room Support Group December, 2011
Ms. Stanton is a psychotherapist in private practice. She received her
Masters in Social Welfare from U.C.L.A. in 1991 and became licensed
in 1998. She received her undergraduate degree at Brown University
in Western Religious Thought.

As a founding member of the Providence Zen Center in Rhode Island,
she studied with Zen Master Seung Sahn for 10 years. Continuing her
meditation practice, she is now a student of Tony Patchell after the
death of Darlene Cohen in January 2011. Both Darlene and Tony are
teachers in the Suzuki Roshi lineage (San Francisco Zen Center).

Ms. Stanton's 35 years as a meditator is part of what shapes her perspective
as a psychotherapist. The Zen tradition is the practice of simple presence to
the ups and downs of life without adding extra suffering on top.

In her private practice, Ms. Stanton uses several therapeutic approaches with
adults sorting through relationship concerns, emotional uncertainty and difficulty,
long-standing struggles and demanding circumstances. These include cognitive behavioral work and an appreciation of a person's family history in light of the stresses of the moment. She is a member of several consultation groups to freshen her perspective and approach,
and a member of the California Society for Clinical Social Work and the National Association of Social Workers.

Another thread of her work has involved people facing chronic or catastrophic illness. As an intern and then a social worker at the
American Cancer Society, Ms. Stanton met with patients and family members navigating through diagnosis, treatment and recovery.

Ms. Stanton worked on a research project with psychoneuroimmunologist Dr. Margaret Kemeny and Dr. Geoffrey Reed at UCLA
that questioned whether providing support groups to men with HIV helped boost their immune functioning. The project was
interrupted (fortunately) by the advent of protease inhibitors that saved many lives.
Together with Dr. Reed, she facilitated support groups for the research project.

Ms. Stanton consulted on a research project for women with breast cancer for the American Psychological Association. This lead to the publication of THE BREAST CANCER NOTEBOOK.

Taking a different path, Ms. Stanton worked for six years to help homeless people with multiple physical and emotional diagnoses on the affluent west side of Los Angeles and on Skid Row -- community-based social justice work that is integral to the social work tradition.

HELEN'S ROOM

For 12 years, she has lead a support group for women with cancer. The free drop-in group is part of Helen's Room, in El Segundo, California. The Cancer Support Group meets Thursdays from 2:00 to 3:30. Please call Ms. Stanton at 310-449-1331 for more information, or call Helen's Room at 310-524-9429.

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More information about Ms. Stanton's private psychotherapy practice is available through the links to the left of this box and on her home page.