About Me & My Approach
I have been a therapist for over a decade and truly love the work I do. I strive to build authentic relationships in which clients feel supported and empowered. My goal is to help you develop a strong sense of self and self-awareness, strengthen your relationships with others, and support you in creating meaningful change and healing. Whether you seek to work on a specific issue or to focus more generally on self-exploration and personal growth, I am glad you are considering working with me.
My approach is collaborative, eclectic, and grounded in evidence-based practices. I have training in parts work (IFS), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Exposure & Response Prevention (ERP) Narrative Therapy, and Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART). I have also completed Level 1 Gottman Method Couples Therapy training. While I am not currently offering couples therapy, I may incorporate Gottman principles into individual sessions for clients who wish to strengthen their relationships.
I value incorporating psychoeducation into sessions to help clients better understand topics such as attachment, personality structure, defense mechanisms, and relationship patterns. I also have a strong interest in attachment theory and psychodynamic approaches, and I enjoy integrating these frameworks into therapy when they are a good fit for a client's needs. This fall, I will begin my second year of a Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy Certificate Program through the Chicago Center for Psychoanalysis.
I primarily see adults experiencing depression, anxiety, trauma-related symptoms, eating disorders, questions around identity, attachment and relationship concerns, body image issues, and obsessive-compulsive symptoms. I also frequently work with individuals navigating divorce/separation, parenting, complex family relationships, adverse religious experiences, and work-related challenges.
Outside of my practice, I enjoy gardening, cooking, reading, traveling, and spending time my friends, family, and pets.
MORE ABOUT THE MODALITIES
Parts Work
Parts work - (e.g. Internal Family Systems theory) - is based on the idea that we all have a core Self that can become concealed by “parts” – or sub-personalities – that emerge in response to our environment and experiences. I am not a certified IFS practitioner, but I do have some training in IFS. I don't incorporate IFS specifically, but I frequently utilize parts work generally. I believe parts that interfere (e.g. behavioral patterns, addictions, core belief systems, depression, shame, anxiety, intrusive thoughts, avoidance, emptiness, people pleasing, etc.) attempt to act in the best interest of the Self; but that their efforts to do so often become misguided. Parts that may have served an adaptive or protective purpose at some point often struggle to let go despite the Self no longer needing them to play such an integral role. I strive to provide a safe space for you to better understand and integrate parts of yourself so that they operate in a balanced and harmonious manner in order to make more room for aspects of your core Self such as creativity, spirituality, fulfillment, compassion, confidence, connection, and curiosity.
Cognitive Behavior Therapy
Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is an approach rooted in the relationship between our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. When incorporating this modality into your treatment, I will focus on helping you identify and shift thought patterns, belief systems/narratives, and behaviors that contribute to mental health concerns or hold you back from your goals.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) was developed by psychologist Dr. Marcia Linehan to assist people in managing intense and overwhelming emotions. I may utilize DBT frameworks to assist you in developing and strengthening skills focused on distress tolerance, mindfulness, emotion regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness. When experiencing very distressing emotions, it can be difficult to cope in healthy ways. DBT-based skills and exercises can be useful in helping you learn to cope effectively while improving your capacity for radical acceptance.
Psychodynamic Approach
Through a psychodynamic lens, I will help you integrate conscious and unconscious aspects of your mind and gain insight into how old patterns of relating shape present experiences. I aim to bring to light defenses that interfere with your relationships with yourself and others with a focus on making meaning of them. This work can be empowering in expanding your freedom of choice and your capacity to know yourself more deeply.
Accelerated Resolution Therapy (ART)
Accelerated Resolution Therapy® (ART) is a brief, structured form of psychotherapy designed to help you recover from distressing experiences, emotions, or sensations that may feel “stuck” in your mind or body. Using gentle, guided eye movements and visualization techniques, ART helps the brain reprocess troubling memories in a way that reduces emotional pain while preserving the facts of what happened. Through ART, clients are able to reduce negative images associated with memories, resulting in the reduction of corresponding triggers.