Services
About My Clients
My clients struggle to regulate their emotions and deal with that in a variety of ways. Some drink too much or overuse other substances. Some engage in compulsive behaviors involving sex or money. Some alienate others with anger or avoidance. Most engage in more than one of the above and most have tried to stop. These are not “defects of character,” they are behaviors, and they can be changed.
My Background and Approach
I have a PhD and, before becoming a counselor, I spent two decades in academia, helping develop students into deep thinkers, and investigating how meaning is made. You are not a list of symptoms or diagnoses, but a complex, nuanced text. I transitioned from higher education to counseling because I wanted to apply intellectual depth and rigor to real-world stakes like yours. I am trained in evidence-based modalities, particularly Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and RO-DBT. I use Prepare & Enrich, the Gottman Method, and discernment to treat the full lifespan of relationships. I work extensively with trauma, using EMDR, Trauma-Focused CBT (TF-CBT), and DBT. I am always learning, so that, if what we’re doing isn’t working, I’m ready to pivot.
My Personal Beliefs and Interests
I prefer nuance to certainty, openness and curiosity over black-and-white morality. My background and my influences are intentionally and I don't protect myself from the realities of the world. The work I do with clients can't be Instagrammed and the same is true for the way I live my life. In my office, nothing is unspeakable or unthinkable. No matter what you've done or experienced, I want to hear about it, it will not shock me, and I will never shame you. I will challenge you because that's what it takes to get better and getting better is the point. I like to work with people who are on a mission to take control of their lives.