Mark has worked with foster, adopted and at-risk youth for over 19 years. He spent ten years in California at Childhelp USA working with severely neglected and abused children, as well as working at several other reputable group homes and residential facilities. Mark has also worked for the Department of Children and Family Services as a CPS/CWS worker and is familiar with the child welfare system of Washington State.

Mark recently served as Vice President for the Mercer Island Youth and Family Services Advisory Board, and has been involved in the Greater Seattle community in many volunteer capacities. He has received his Master's degree from the University of Washington, Seattle.

Mark's expertise is working with children who have experienced trauma, have attachment disorders, and have trouble interacting in the family and/or social groups. Many of these children struggle with grief, anger, depression, low self-esteem, lying and manipulative behaviors, and can be socially and emotionally withdrawn. Mark lectures foster/adoptive parents and other professionals in the field teaching them how to address these problems, and runs social skills groups for kids to support their healthy development.

Mark and his wife Monica are adoptive parents of a child from the foster care system who is now 18, and fully appreciate the difficulties and rewards of raising a child from an unstable background.

In Mark's words: To be able to understand what a child is trying to communicate is the most satisfying feeling one can have. There is no kid or situation that is hopeless, it is simply a matter of us taking a step back to assess what language is being spoken. Kids from traumatic and dysfunctional childhoods often speak the language of hurt, pain, loss and mistrust. We need to put our preconceptions aside to be receptive to their communication. Only then can we truly understand their needs.

You can contact Mark by phone:

(425) 889-8524 #5