About Me

Here's a bit of my story. I started my career in the social work field in 2013 and have worked as a therapist, specifically, for six years. I have worked in a number of different settings outside of therapy, including community advocacy and outreach, program development, and substance abuse rehabilitation. I always knew that I would end up working in human services in some kind of helping role because I have a ton of empathy and compassion towards the world. I can remember as young kid even personifying my toys and empathizing with their imagined struggles. After years of working on myself, I can understand that there was a bit more to that, but at any rate, being able to pick up on the emotions of others has been both a gift and curse throughout my life. As many newbies in the social work field, I finished school fully prepared to put on my super hero cape and make the world a better place. What I didn't anticipate was the amount of personal struggle I'd have and growth I'd gain along the way. 

I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to work in different environments because it has helped me to develop perspective. In helping others sort through their life experiences and problems, I have forced myself to look in the mirror and do the work I need to ensure that I can show up for others effectively. I have built my practice around trauma healing because trauma is what I've seen as the gateway into so many other tribulations for folks, including myself. 

I focus a lot of attention on building a trusting relationship with my clients because I have had struggles with trust throughout my life and can understand the ambivalence and fear of being vulnerable around someone. Many are taught that certain feelings are not acceptable to have or to talk about, so it takes time to build a genuine connection that feels safe and secure. 

I focus a lot on building on existing resilience to improve confidence and empower my clients in their healing journey. I have been in that "stuck" place feeling like I'm just treading water with little hope that I can move forward. Sometimes the best catalyst for growth and self discovery is someone believing it's possible for you until you can believe that for yourself. In trauma work, we often have to trudge through the mud to gain insight about how our experiences have influenced our thinking, feelings, and interactions with the world. It helps to have a hand for support to guide you when the mud gets thick and harder to move through.

I have dedicated a lot of my career to understanding how trauma and the maladaptive coping strategies that often result from it influence our interpersonal relationships. It is difficult to navigate a relationship with someone else when there is still so much unresolved internally for a person. Often people have never had a strong example of a healthy relationship to begin with, so naturally they end up entering a similar cycle of dysfunction. I can tell you from experience that until that cycle is realized, it feels like you are banging your head against a wall and expecting it to be painless, but then blaming the wall for hurting you and sometimes even trying to hurt the wall back. In couples therapy, we work to break down the barriers keeping you at odds with each other and build friendship, connection, intimacy, and shared meaning in life. 

I believe in a holistic approach to establish balance between mental wellness, physical health and spiritual connection. Years ago you wouldn't hear me talking about spirituality at all and this is a topic that many roll their eyes about, but it is an important component and can be incredibly healing. Spirituality is not a requirement for therapy to be effective, but it's helpful to have an open-mind to at the very least explore what this concept means to you. 

When I'm not working, I enjoy exploring in nature. Grounding myself at the beach or taking in the fresh air of the woods, I feel a sense of freedom outdoors. I am a mad scientist in the kitchen and I like getting my hands dirty in the garden. I am a yogi at heart and love to burn incense and sage when I'm meditating at home. I have an old soul with a unique vibe and I'm happy to answer any questions that you might have about my services. Thanks for taking the time to learn a little about me. Hope to hear from you!