Approach to Therapy
It’s important to feel good about yourself and your direction in life. When we do, even the difficult challenges life inevitably presents feel more manageable. When we don’t, it’s common to feel stuck, unmotivated, or out of sync with the world around us. We all find ourselves there at one time or another, there’s no shame in seeking help. I provide a caring and nonjudgmental space so you can experience being seen, heard and understood. Through our work, we will explore your life’s unique challenges and find your path toward a more fulfilling, enriching life. Whether this involves examining unhelpful behavioral patterns or encountering painful emotional wounds, I offer my compassion and skill to help you find your own path forward.
Areas of Expertise
I work with adults of all ages struggling with depression, anxiety, and the effects of trauma, both recent and in early childhood. Many clients find themselves stuck in patterns of responding to life in ways that are no longer serving them. Often these patterns were once useful, if not necessary. But as we mature or transition into a new phase of life, these old patterns only serve to make us feel stuck. By bringing an integrative, non-pathologizing approach to therapy, I support clients in finding a path out of their ‘stuckness’ into a personally congruent, fulfilling life.
Experience and Training
I earned my Master’s in Clinical Counseling from LaSalle University. I have completed advanced training in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, and additional trainings in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, and mindfulness meditation. Meditation is important to me personally and professionally, and I am a certified mindfulness meditation teacher with over 15 years of personal practice. In my treatment, I also integrate elements of trauma informed modalities including Polyvagal Theory, ‘parts work’ such as Internal Family Systems, and trauma-informed mindfulness.
I started my clinical career at an opioid treatment facility in one the counties hardest hit by the opiate epidemic. This experience highlighted the importance of recognizing and working with trauma, which research now indicates is much more common than previously understood. Like many, my career path hasn’t been linear. My interest in psychology developed through my own personal growth work and experience as a client in therapy. I’ve experienced how understanding one’s own mind can lead to profound change, especially when working with a skilled professional. After initially being drawn toward research, I found that working directly with clients would be most impactful and rewarding, I am grateful for the opportunity to offer my skill and experience to help others working through life’s challenges.