Our upbringings are formative, and we are wired to seek connection and belonging.  Sometimes, we are hindered by the part of ourselves that once helped us survive, belong, or meet others’ expectations.  Maybe you’re used to holding it together and getting things done, while inwardly feeling overwhelmed, anxious, disconnected, or misaligned with what is most important to you.  Perhaps you are navigating an impactful or traumatic experience, noticing patterns in your relationships, balancing family or sociocultural expectations, grieving a loss, or moving through a transition.  You may even understand where some of your feelings come from, but perhaps you are still wondering what needs to happen next.

In therapy, I hope to cultivate a safe and authentic space where you can come as you are, and we can collaboratively consider what has shaped you, what may be holding you back, and what would move you toward a life that feels more meaningful, authentic, and aligned with your values.  Your experiences, identities, culture, relationships, ancestral history, and the systems you move through can all influence how you understand yourself and relate to the world around you.  I’m interested in helping you observe and understand patterns within the larger context of your life.

I especially enjoy working with young adults, BIPOC individuals, and those coming to therapy for the first time. I am well-versed in exploring trauma and impactful life experiences, grief and loss, relationships and communication, family of origin, identity, perfectionism, and life transitions. I’m also interested in expanding my work with clients navigating parenthood, perinatal and reproductive experiences, and women’s health.

Therapy did not exist as a concept in my own upbringing, and when it began to, it was viewed as self-indulgent or taboo. I recognize that starting therapy can bring uncertainty, especially when seeking support conflicts with messages you’ve received from your family, culture, or community. You don’t need to arrive knowing exactly what to talk about or what therapy is supposed to look like. We can begin by mapping that out together.

My Approach

My work is rooted in Existential-Humanistic therapy, but depending on your goals, I may draw from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), attachment-based therapy, and other modalities.  My perspectives are informed by feminist, multicultural, anti-racist, decolonial, and liberation psychology. I approach conversations with curiosity and openness, recognizing that experiences are understood subjectively, and in context.

Therapy with me is warm, collaborative, and conversational. We’ll explore what may be keeping you stuck and what you want to be different. That might mean looking at formative experiences and family dynamics, making sense of patterns in your relationships, examining the gap between the life you wish for and the one you’re living, or finding small ways to move toward a life that feels more meaningful and aligned with your values.

I’ll give you room to lead if you wish, while also helping us stay connected to the goals that brought you to therapy. I invite feedback about your experience, and I may gently challenge you when I notice something worth exploring. I think of this as holding up a mirror so we can get curious together about what you’re noticing and what it might mean.

We may explore what’s underneath what you’re feeling, use practical strategies when they would be helpful, or do a combination of both. Together, we’ll figure out what feels most useful for you. 

Experience

I earned my Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from John Jay College at the City University of New York, an APA-accredited program with training focuses in forensic psychology and social justice. My doctoral research examined later-life outcomes of childhood abuse and neglect.  Prior to this, I completed a master’s degree in Neuroscience and Education at Columbia University and undergraduate degrees in Psychology and Human Development at Virginia Tech.  Before my graduate training, I worked in clinical research, studying neurodegenerative disorders at the Columbia University Irving Medical Center.  I also volunteered at regional crisis hotlines, and served as a state-certified Hospital Advocate for survivors of acute sexual assault.

My clinical training has spanned university counseling centers, community mental health centers, trauma clinics, and inpatient psychiatric settings, where I have provided individual and group psychotherapy. I am currently training in Imago Relationship Therapy.

Licensure

I am a postdoctoral resident at Balanced Awakening, working toward licensure in the state of Illinois. I have several years of clinical experience and am completing the additional supervised practice required for licensure in Illinois. I am supervised by Dr. Caitlin Stumpner and Dr. Hannah Yang outside of appointment times.