We can't change what's happened to us, but we can learn to move forward in ways that feel meaningful and true to who we are. Healing isn't about never feeling pain again. It's about learning to trust yourself and finding the strength to create a life that feels more like your own.

If you've been feeling overwhelmed, stuck in survival mode, questioning your worth, struggling to rest, or trying to make sense of painful experiences, you don't have to carry it alone. Therapy can be a place where you feel supported, understood, and free to begin making sense of what you've been through.

I work with adults and young adults who want to better understand themselves and create meaningful change. Many of the people I work with have spent years putting others' needs before their own, feeling stuck in patterns that no longer serve them, or trying to rebuild their identity after trauma. Together, we'll explore your story with compassion, uncover the strengths you've always had, and help you reconnect with the parts of yourself that may have been lost along the way.

Asking for help is one of the hardest things we can do. If you're reading this, I hope you recognize the courage it took to get here. My hope is that our work together helps you feel more connected to yourself, more confident in who you are, and more hopeful about where you're going.

Trauma

Trauma looks different for everyone. Not every painful experience leads to PTSD, but unresolved trauma can continue to shape the way we think, feel, relate to others, and move through the world long after the experience has ended.

I often think of unresolved trauma like being lost in a dense forest at night. Every step feels uncertain. You're constantly looking for danger, stumbling over obstacles, and using all of your energy just to survive.

Therapy can't take you out of the forest, but it can help you find your way through it.

Together, we'll gather the tools you need. A map. A compass. A light. A place to rest when the journey feels overwhelming. Over time, surviving can begin to feel more like living. You may find yourself slowing down, exploring, growing, and creating your own path forward with greater confidence.

If this resonates with you, know that you don't have to find your way alone. Together, we'll gently unpack what's been weighing on you, make space for healing, and help you move toward a life that feels more connected, hopeful, and your own.

Identity Matters

Our identities shape how we experience the world, and they also shape how we experience therapy. I strive to understand how culture, systems, and lived experiences intersect with identities related to race, ethnicity, gender, sexuality, religion, age, and the many parts of who you are.

Your sense of safety matters deeply to me. While I can't promise perfection, I can promise to keep listening, learning, and working to earn your trust. I believe therapy should honor your lived experience while recognizing the systems that have influenced your journey.

My Approach

I believe you are the expert on your own life. My role isn't to tell you who you are or give you the answers. Instead, I want to create a space where you feel safe enough to explore your experiences, understand yourself more deeply, and discover what healing looks like for you.

I believe everyone deserves to be met with compassion, curiosity, and respect. Healing often begins when we feel seen, accepted, and safe enough to show up as our authentic selves.

My work is grounded in trauma-informed care, cultural humility, and strengths-based practice. I draw from Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, mindfulness, narrative therapy, psychodynamic approaches, and other evidence-based interventions. Rather than relying on one approach, I tailor therapy to your unique needs, experiences, and goals.

Experience

I've provided therapy and crisis support in hospital, nonprofit, and private practice settings.

In a hospital emergency department, I worked with survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault, providing trauma-informed crisis intervention, risk assessments, safety planning, and emotional support. I collaborated with medical teams and community organizations to advocate for clients, connect them with resources, and develop personalized safety plans. I also helped develop and co-facilitate a support group for survivors of sexual assault, creating a space for healing, connection, and resilience.

I've also supported individuals and families navigating cancer diagnoses, offering counseling around distress, coping, grief, and anticipatory grief. Throughout my work, I've helped clients facing anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, life transitions, and the emotional impact of overwhelming or unexpected events.

I earned my Master's in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Southern New Hampshire University and my Master's in Social Work from Columbia University in New York.

Licensure

I am a Clinical Fellow at Balanced Awakening, completing the final steps toward LCSW licensure. I have several years of clinical experience and I am currently accruing additional supervised practice to be eligible for the LCSW credential in Illinois. I am supervised by Andrea Espinosa, LCSW.