Everyone keeps telling you these should be some of the best years of your life, so why do they feel so overwhelming?

There's a lot happening at once. You're making decisions about school, friendships, relationships, and your future, all while trying to understand who you are. Everyone seems to have an opinion about what you should do next, and somehow you're expected to become more independent while still figuring out what that looks like. It's hard not to wonder why everyone else seems to have a plan when you're still trying to find your footing.

And it's not just the big decisions that weigh on you. It's replaying something you said to a friend three days ago, agreeing to plans when you really wanted a night to yourself, or feeling guilty because you haven't gotten as much done as you planned. You spend the day keeping up with school, work, and everyone else's expectations, only to get home feeling like you haven't done enough. Even the way you see yourself can become tangled up in how you think others see you.

At some point, you start to wonder how much of your life is actually yours and how much is spent trying to get everything right for everyone else.

That's something I hear from a lot of the teens (15+), college students, and young adults I work with. Whether you're navigating anxiety, ADHD, self-esteem, body image, relationships, or figuring out who you are, I know how easily these challenges can become tangled together. You might feel confident in one area of your life but completely unsure of yourself in another. You're trying to become more independent, make decisions that feel right for you, and build meaningful relationships, all while managing the pressure to keep up with everyone around you.

And while I especially enjoy working with teens and young adults, these experiences don't suddenly disappear as you get older. I also work with adults navigating life transitions, changing relationships, and the challenge of letting go of expectations that no longer fit who they are.

You don't have to have everything figured out before coming to therapy. Sometimes you just know that something isn't feeling right, even if you can't quite explain why. We can start with what's been on your mind, make sense of what's feeling difficult, and figure out together what you'd like to change.

Walk & Talk Therapy

Sometimes the best conversations happen when you're not sitting across from each other.

Sitting face-to-face and being asked how you're feeling can make finding the right words even harder. Suddenly, you're thinking about where to start, how to explain yourself, or whether what you're saying makes sense. Walking side by side can take some of that pressure away, giving you room to gather your thoughts and let the conversation unfold naturally.

I've always enjoyed walking as a way to clear my head. When something's been weighing on me, getting outside helps me look at things from a different perspective. I love starting a walk with a lot on my mind and coming back with a little more clarity, even if I haven't figured everything out. That's part of why I offer walk-and-talk therapy. I wanted to give clients another way to experience therapy that feels a little less formal.

Just like in traditional therapy, we'll spend our time talking through whatever's been on your mind. Some walks might be filled with conversation, while others might give you a chance to slow down and sort through your thoughts. We can pause, find somewhere to sit, or simply take in our surroundings as we work through things together.

What I love most about walk-and-talk therapy is how a change of scenery can sometimes help you see things a little differently. You might start our walk feeling overwhelmed or unsure where to begin and finish with a little more clarity about what's been weighing on you.

My Approach

You spend enough time wondering if you're doing things right. I don't want therapy to become another place where you feel that pressure.

I believe you're the expert on your own experience. I'm not here to tell you what decisions to make or who you should become. I want to get to know you, understand what's happening in your life, and help you make sense of things along the way. Some days, you'll have a lot to talk about. Other days, you might have no idea where to start. That's okay, too. We'll figure it out together.

My approach draws from Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), mindfulness, and person-centered therapy. One thing I especially appreciate about ACT is how it helps us explore the difference between what truly matters to us and what we've spent years believing we're supposed to want. When you're so used to considering everyone else's opinions, your own can become the hardest to hear. I want to help you reconnect with what matters to you, rather than feeling like you have to follow someone else's idea of what your life should look like.

In our sessions, we'll use what's happening in your everyday life as a starting point. We might talk through why a comment from a friend stuck with you all week, practice setting a boundary without feeling guilty, or find ways to manage responsibilities that have become overwhelming. I'll ask questions, share what I'm noticing, and offer a different perspective when it might help. And if something isn't working for you, I want you to feel comfortable telling me. Therapy should feel like something we're doing together.

Over time, I hope you'll start noticing changes in the moments that used to leave you feeling stuck. Speaking up instead of automatically agreeing, giving yourself grace when things don't go as planned, or making a decision without questioning it for days afterward. These changes might seem small at first, but they can make a meaningful difference in how you feel about yourself and the choices you make.

Ultimately, I want you to feel more confident in who you are, rather than who you think you're supposed to be.

Experience

I earned my Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Adler University. During my graduate training, I completed my clinical internship at Clarity Clinic, where I provided individual counseling and facilitated therapeutic groups for adolescents and adults experiencing a range of mental health concerns.

Before becoming a therapist, I worked as a case manager at Thresholds and Journey Mental Health Center. Those experiences helped me understand how much our relationships, environments, and everyday circumstances can influence our mental health. They also shaped the way I approach therapy today, with curiosity about each person's experiences and an appreciation for the strengths they may not always recognize in themselves.

Licensure

I am a Clinical Fellow at Balanced Awakening, working toward my LCPC licensure in Illinois. I have several years of clinical experience and continue to develop my skills through supervised practice. I am supervised by Zana Van Der Smissen, LCPC, PMH-C.