About
Style
You're a capable and proactive individual, navigating the complexities of a demanding world, yet you’re finding yourself...stuck… depleted… destabilized. Perhaps you've encountered a complicated stretch, experienced a loss, or are feeling the weight of accumulated stress. Many people I work with grapple with these challenges, seeking greater balance, self-assertion, and renewed joy. I strive to create a compassionate and non-judgmental space, in which we can address your concerns and identify potential solutions.
Together, we'll explore your internal processes, relationship dynamics, and the way you connect with the world. This collaborative process allows us to recalibrate, foster calm, gain forward momentum, and recapture a sense of delight in your life. My approach is grounded in scientifically supported methods, deeply nurturing of diversity, and tailored to your unique needs. We’ll clarify your values and goals and develop coping strategies that align with your unique identity and life circumstances. When appropriate, we’ll incorporate techniques from CBT, ACT, Motivational Interviewing, and Mindfulness-based approaches.
My goal is to help you master techniques that you will eventually apply on your own, outside of the session. For some, this means conducting a few light-hearted problem-focused coaching sessions; for others, this requires longer-term intensive psychotherapy. I invite you to connect and discover how we can work together.
About Me
I believe that most changes in the therapy room come from a good blend of science and a strong therapeutic relationship. I strive to connect with my clients through genuine warmth and an open, collaborative spirit. I focus on creating a relationship in which you can feel safe, deeply heard, and fully understood. This work is not without error, and when a misunderstanding occurs, I use it as an opportunity to clarify what is important to you and to practice navigating the repair process together.
I have lived experience as an immigrant, an ethnically mixed person, a member of the queer community, and a person living with illness. None of these experiences have dictated my journey as a therapist, but they have deepened my insight, broadened my perspective, and illuminated some of the unique challenges and resilience these experiences can entail. While these parts of my life enrich my practice, I work carefully to set my personal history aside and truly grasp your unique story, capturing the elements that are important to you. I blend this understanding with compassionate validation and practical, evidence-based strategies tailored to you – fueled by both the science behind how we heal and grow, and the skill and art of fully seeing the person in front of me.
Outside of therapy, my life is a lasting attempt to embrace a hard-to-satiate mind, a heart addicted to adventure, and a body that needs love and care. I find joy in walking through coastal areas, being engulfed by the concrete jungle, admiring visual arts, delighting in new foods, and staring into the vastness of space. I geek out over the latest research, rare astronomical events, and discoveries of portraits of artists’ former lovers underneath famous paintings.
I hope to bring this blend of genuine curiosity, professional skill, and lived experience into our work, offering down-to-earth, intelligent, and intuitive guidance as you navigate your path toward wellbeing.
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
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.