Welcome to therapy. I love what I do! Through my work, I’ve learned that people who seek help are stronger than they realize. I’ve also learned that even the most baffling problems in life can lead to growth.

In times of anxiety, confusion, or pain, I think a therapist’s role is as a compassionate witness. I offer new perspectives and strategies without “telling you what to do.” I believe everyone has innate wisdom, even when it feels lost.

I embrace intersectional-justice and feminist perspectives in psychotherapy. Women (and those in other marginalized groups) tend to internalize the cultural pressures and contradictions placed upon us.  

So, how does therapy work? We “just talk” and get to know each other at first. In the process, we gain a sense of your needs and goals. From there, we develop a treatment plan that makes sense for you. 

Some people over-think and over-work, trying to avoid their feelings.  They may need help to slow down and tune inward. Other people feel constantly overwhelmed by anxiety, grief, or rage. They may need strategies to calm the storm and regain balance.

Finally, many people have relationship patterns or cycles of behavior that they know are unhealthy. Yet they feel “stuck on repeat.” Therapy can help you understand and break free from these cycles.

My work includes strategies drawn from cognitive-behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, acceptance and commitment therapy, mindfulness training, and family systems theory, among others.

I believe in the value of a warm, trustworthy therapeutic relationship. In the words of neuroscience: right-brain to right-brain connections are healing.  

My specialties include the treatment of anxiety; depression; grief; young-adult identity and career challenges; parenting challenges (I’m a mom too); concerns of midlife, menopause, and older age; and family-of-origin concerns such as intergenerational trauma and estrangement.

Experience

I’ve been in the mental-health field since 2003, licensed as an LCSW since 2005. Before joining Balanced Awakening, I worked in community mental health. My past experience includes crisis evaluation and intervention; integrated treatment for people with chronic mental illness; participation in psychiatric research studies as a clinician; and most recently, individual psychotherapy for adults with a wide range of diagnoses.