My approach
I'm a licensed clinical psychologist who helps people understand themselves in ways that move them towards living and showing up more in alignment with what they value most. I work with adults and teens navigating anxiety, the complexities of illness and pain, the stresses of parenting and family life, and managing the questions and uncertainty of transitions and seasons of feeling stuck.
My style is warm, collaborative, and grounded in science. I believe meaningful work begins with safety and acceptance in a space where you feel known and heard in the identities that are most salient to you. From there, we work together to understand the patterns that shape your life, looking together with curiosity and compassion at what is working and what may no longer be serving you. In our work I hope to help you build insight and understanding that allows you to act with intention, move in the direction you wish to go, and to do more of what matters to you.
Being in the room
My style is both supportive and active. I aim to keep things slow enough that we can fully take in what is happening, words that stand out, feelings that come up, and what happens in our own back and forth. I ask questions and listen closely, giving you space to name your experience. At the same time, I am not a therapist who will simply nod at you through the session. I will offer you my observations, patterns I might notice, and narrate if I notice connections between experiences or feelings.
I aim to invite feedback often. Therapy is a relationship, and I want to know what's landing, what isn't, and when you need more or less of something from me. My goals is for you to get what you need, and if there are ways I can adjust to make that happen, I am delighted to make the shift. As we move through the work, I aim to keep the work focused on what's important to you, and I'll continually invite your input on progress, goals, and where we put our focus.
I try to show up authentically, curiously, and non-judgmentally. For me, therapy should not be a mystery, and I am transparent about interventions and why I take a particular approach.
My understanding of people is that they are doing their best, no matter how it works out or where it takes them. I hope my clients can feel and believe this in a way that allows them to be open with themselves and in the therapy space.
Frames for my work
I work from an integrative, evidence-based framework. There are a lot of useful, effective frames in psychology that can complement each other well to give a tailored approach to care. Depending on your needs and preferences, our work may draw on:
-Emotion-focused and experiential interventions
-Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
-Relational, interpersonal, and systemic approaches
-Insight-oriented and psychodynamic work
-Developmental, family-systems, and behavioral perspectives
-Mindfulness, meditation, and present-moment awareness
This list is not exhaustive, and I am committed to continually learning and growing in my ability to be most effective in providing care. Whatever the frame, the aim remains creating an accurate, shared understanding or you that allows us to address what is most important to you and lets you live your life in a way that fits your values.