Who I Am

I am a licensed clinical social worker / psychotherapist, in private practice since 2006. It is an incredible privilege to participate in each one of my patient's journeys toward an examined, meaningful life.

Informed by relational and attachment theories, my therapeutic style is psychodynamic, with the goal of treatment being increased self-awareness and understanding of the impact of the past on the present. In its simplest form, a psychodynamic approach enables clients to examine unresolved conflicts that arise from past relationships and experiences that manifest themselves in ways that are emotionally painful. Additionally, I am interested in how our bodies can play a role in helping us understand and come to terms with our life experiences. When needed, I offer mindfulness and somatic resources that help sustain my patients in between sessions.

I am committed to honoring the individuality of all my patients by being open and curious about diverse backgrounds, ethnicities, orientations, identities and preferences. Because the interplay between patient and therapist creates a relational space from which “worlds of experience” can be explored, the intersectionality of our multiple identities can be used to understand factors that have influenced your individual development.

I hold a B.S. in Journalism from Boston University (1997) and an M.S.W. from the University of Michigan (2001). Why the leap from journalism to clinical social work? Great question! I’ve always been fascinated by stories; the hows and the whys. The critical piece that was missing in journalism was the privilege of being a change-agent in the narrative. Clinical social work seemed the perfect path to achieve this vocation as it is both clinical training and a field that honors people’s relationships to their environment as well as their innate strengths in a non-pathologizing manner.

I am Level One certified in Sensorimotor Psychotherapy (2014) and currently am pursuing psychoanalytic training through the Institute of Relational Psychoanalysis of Philadelphia.

Education and Training

Institute for Relational Psychoanalysis (in progress)
Fellowship in Relational Psychoanalysis and Certificate in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy

Sensorimotor Psychotherapy Level I: Affect Dysregulation, Survival Defenses and Traumatic Memory
80 hour training on the neurobiology of trauma, survival defenses and the sensorimotor/ somatic approach to the treatment of trauma 

University of Michigan - Master of Social Work  April 2001

Boston University - Bachelor of Science - Journalism May 1997

Academic Experience

Wayne State University, School of Social Work: Part-time Faculty
Master’s-level instructor for advanced elective course on trauma: etiology, assessment and treatment with micro and macro-level considerations