It takes courage to start therapy, because people are often hopeful they can change but also fear they cannot. There is good news. The human brain can literally rewire itself throughout the lifespan. This means if we are experiencing difficulties with relationships we can develop new patterns of thinking and feeing that can make intimacy easier for us. If we had trauma in childhood we can grieve those feelings so they no longer impact our current life. We can develop new world views as we go through life transitions. Therapy works because the safety and trust developed in the therapeutic hour can stimulate growth of new neurons,

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Registered Nurse. These occupations have given me a unique opportunity to compassionately assist people experiencing anxiety, fear, and loss. I also work with people who have experienced trauma in childhood, current relationship issues, and people going through a major life transition, and substance abuse issues.

I approach therapy from a humanistic perspective that emphasizes optimism, enhancing the natural tendency of humans to grow towards health, and recruiting the client’s inherent strengths to enhance growth. Together, will move forward at a pace that is comfortable for you to establish an atmosphere of trust necessary to explore uncomfortable feelings.

Credentials

Education

Attended University of Texas Austin, MSSW, Graduated 1990

Positions

I worked in treatment centers for youth after college and later earned a Master’s in Social Work from UT Austin. After graduate school, I attended four years of seminars in psychoanalytic psychotherapy. In recent decades I have educated myself about attachment theory, IPBN, and recognition of the central importance of how trauma shapes our personality. All of that translates to mean my working style is warm, interactive, and based on the latest research in psychology.  I will listen actively when you are talking and coach you through times when you feel you have nothing to say.  In addition to my psychological learning, I am an RN and worked as a psychiatric nurse for nine years.

In-network and Self Pay

Insurance Accepted

  • Aetna
  • Blue Cross Blue Shield
  • Cigna/Evernorth
  • Employers Health Network
  • Humana
  • Medicare
  • Partners Direct Health
  • Sana Benefits
  • Seton Health Plan
  • UnitedHealthcare/Optum

Specialties and Expertise

Top Specialities

Trauma and PTSD, Self Esteem, Addiction

Expertise

  • Addiction
  • Aging
  • Alcohol Use
  • Anger Issues
  • Anxiety
  • Attachment Trauma or Insecurity
  • Borderline Personality
  • Childhood Abuse or Neglect
  • Chronic Illness
  • Conflict with Friends
  • Depression
  • Dissociation
  • Domestic Abuse
  • Existential Issues
  • Fear of Rejection
  • Impulse Control Issues
  • Lack of Emotional Awareness
  • Life Transitions
  • Loss or Grief
  • Men's Issues
  • Mood Swings
  • Not Happy or Satisfied with life
  • Perfectionism
  • Personal Growth
  • Procrastination
  • Self-Esteem / Negative Self-Talk
  • Self-Harm
  • Sexual Abuse
  • Sexual Assault
  • Shame
  • Shyness / High Sensitivity
  • Social Anxiety
  • Social Isolation / Loneliness
  • Stress / Burnout
  • Stress-Related Illness
  • Substance Use
  • Trauma / PTSD
  • War / Combat

Treatment Approach

Types of Therapy

  • Attachment-based
  • Compassion Focused
  • Depth Therapy
  • Eclectic
  • Existential
  • Interpersonal Neurobiology (IPNB)
  • Object Relations
  • Person-Centered (Rogerian)
  • Psychoanalytic
  • Psychodynamic
  • Self Psychology
  • Somatic
  • Systems Approach

Locations

Client Focus

  • Age Groups Served: Teen, Adults, Elders
  • Participant Types: Individuals
  • Language Spoken: English

Therapy takes courage—and it works. In a safe, trusting space, we can rewire old patterns, heal from past pain, and grow into more connected, authentic versions of ourselves.