About

A peaceful picture of the beach, with several rocks in sharp focus. The picture induces calm and relaxation.

Style

I work with highly intelligent, proactive, and curious people who have found themselves stuck. Most of my clients are juggling many stressors of living in a competitive and fast-paced world. Many are looking for ways to maintain balance, assert themselves, increase self-care practices, and find more joy in their lives. I work with my clients to become more familiar with their internal processes, their relationship patterns, and their surroundings, so that together we can recalibrate their process to allow for more calm and delight in their lives.

I am told that I offer a compassionate and non-judgmental space, in which my clients feel supported in exploring their concerns and potential solutions. I derive joy from both longer-term work and brief interventions, but my ultimate goal is to help my clients master techniques that they will apply on their own, outside of the session. For some clients, this means conducting a few light-hearted problem-focused coaching sessions; for others, this requires long-term intensive psychotherapy.

I find that most people benefit from increasing self-efficacy in managing their problems. To help my clients do so, I foster self-discovery, help people clarify their values and goals, and introduce them to tools that can help them get there. My approach to therapy honors diversity and is highly collaborative and customized. I work with clients to identify their unique needs and increase self-advocacy (often starting with themselves!) to get their needs met. Together, we devise coping strategies that fit well with my clients’ sense of identity, values, and life circumstances. Then, it’s up to the client to implement these strategies and gradually refine the most effective ones for their lives.

Education and Training

Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Sociology, UC Davis

PhD in Clinical Psychology, University of Arizona

  • Extensive training in General Psychotherapy

  • Health Psychology Emphasis

  • Family Studies and Human Development Minor

Residency at UCSD Department of Psychiatry and San Diego VA Healthcare Center

  • UCSD Moores Cancer Center

  • UCSD Regional Burn Center

  • San Diego VA Behavioral Medicine, Pain Management, and Weight Management programs

Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the San Francisco VA Medical Center

  • Behavioral Medicine and Primary Care Psychology

  • Pain Management Programs

  • Women’s Health

Professional Affiliations

  • Northern California Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Network

  • New York State Psychological Association

  • Gaylesta: The Psychotherapist Association for Gender & Sexual Diversity

Publications

Skoyen, J. A., Rentscher, K. E., & Butler E. A. (2016). Relationship quality and shared unhealthy behaviors predict body mass index in women. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships.

Rutledge, T., Skoyen, J. A., Wiese, J. A., Ober, K. M., Woods, G. N. (2016). A comparison of MOVE versus TeleMOVE programs for weight loss in Veterans with obesity. Obesity Research and Clinical Practice.

Skoyen, J. A., Rutledge, T., Wiese, J., Woods, G. N. (2015). Evaluation of TeleMOVE: A telehealth weight reduction intervention for Veterans with obesity. A brief report. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, 49(1), 628-633. 

Skoyen, J. A., Randall, A. K., Mehl, M. R, Butler E. A. (2014). “We” overeat, but “I” can stay thin: Pronoun use and body weight in couples who eat to regulate emotion. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 33(8), 743-766. 

Skoyen, J. A., Blank, E., Corkery, S. A., & Butler, E. A. (2013). The interplay of partner influence and individual values predicts daily fluctuations in eating and physical activity. Journal of Social and Personal Relationships, 30(8), 1000-1019.

Skoyen, J. A., Kogan, A. V., Novak, S. A., & Butler, E. A. (2012). Health behavior and emotion regulation in couples. In Newman, M. L., & Roberts, N. A. (Eds.) Health and Social Relationships: The Good, The Bad, and The Complicated (pp. 121-142). Washington, DC: American Psychological Association. 

Rohrbaugh, M. J., Shoham, V., Skoyen, J. A., Jensen, M., & Mehl, M. R. (2012). We-talk, communal coping, and cessation success in a couple-focused intervention for health-compromised smokers. Family Process, 51, 107 - 121.