I never knew all the ways I had learned to protect myself from the pain of feelings, vulnerability and shame. Some of it came in the form of the harsh inner self critic (of which I wasn't even always aware) and some of it came in the form of appearing to "have it all together". How exhausting! I've done a lot of work in these areas (and in others) in my own life and with my clients and believe this to be a life-long road. And/but, I am still in awe of the powerful effects of therapy (and, many other therapeutic relational encounters)- a place where you can show up with all of the parts of yourself in a safe(r) space where you can upack the messiness of life and human-ness; where someone sitting across from you can access the same human feelings in themselves. It can be a quite profound and healing experience to be known and to be met human to human.

I graduated from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA with a Master’s degree in Counseling Psychology and am a Licensed Professional Clinical Counselor (LPCC #4957) in the state of California as well as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC #9195) in the state of Massachusetts.

I am holistically-trained which means I use a variety of approaches in my counseling work depending on your needs and goals. I believe therapy should be a collaboration between the two people in the room. I practice both traditional "talk therapy" as well as incorporate "mind-body" techniques - like mindful and somatic movement and awareness. I also believe in the power of laughter and shared experience.

I have worked in a variety of settings including in-home therapy, outpatient therapy, and residential treatment centers and have trained in mindfulness practices if that is something you are interested in trying/working with.

I have post-graduate training in a variety of areas including being a current trainee of Contemporary Relational Gestalt work through the Pacific Gestalt Institute (PGI) which helps informs the way I work which is creatively and together with people - as opposed to me, the therapist, being in the “expert role”; I’m only an “expert” on myself on good days.

I am trauma therapy trained as well as LGBTQ2A+ affirmative. I try to be as multi-culturally aware as best I can be. I am always learning. I work to "deprogram" myself and my practice - reduce power imbalances, be aware of my whiteness and other privileges, understand my social location in the world, and shed all the other brain-washing we've all been "fed" (or, so is my belief - I'd treasure hearing yours and holding with honor our differences) about how to live a life. I believe in the inherent value and rights of all people, and I believe that everyone’s world of experience is different.

On a personal note, I am an east coast transplant, I love to dance, love food and music, and I'm also on this human ride too...