(she/her)
I hold a Master’s degree in Clinical Counseling from Northwestern University and have advanced training, including the Trauma Research Foundation’s Certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies and EMDR certification from the Trauma Specialist Training Institute. These trainings allow me to provide a compassionate, evidence-based approach to therapy, helping clients navigate the complexities of trauma and emotional distress with tailored interventions that promote healing and growth. I employ an integrative therapeutic approach, combining psychodynamic techniques with mindfulness and a person-centered focus.
Clients working with me can expect a judgment-free, collaborative space where they can actively engage in their healing journey. I am deeply committed to destigmatizing mental health and decolonizing therapy, and creating an environment where clients feel empowered to bring their whole selves to therapy. Our first session include a brief intake of your history and we will explore your goals together. You get to determine the pace of the session; you can share as little or as much, as you'd like.
Through my work, I aim to address the intersections of trauma, culture, and identity, fostering resilience and growth in my clients’ lives. I have extensive experience supporting survivors of sexual and intimate partner violence and an expert in trauma recovery, racial trauma, and prenatal and postpartum anxiety/depression. I believe that we all deserve to live life to the fullest, and we all have the capacity to evolve, if we are afforded an empathic, safe, and compassionate environment to do so.
My ideal client is thoughtful, self-aware, and often high-functioning on the outside but carrying a lot internally. If you have been navigating racial or cultural stress, generational expectations, or the pressure to always be resilient. You are used to minimizing your needs or you have felt misunderstood in other spaces. If you are seeking a place where you don’t have to explain your experiences where therapy feels collaborative, affirming, and deeply human and where healing includes both emotional relief and reclaiming your authentic voice.
Anxiety
Postpartum
Trauma and PTSD
Couples Counseling
Depression
Domestic Violence
Black / African American
Woman
Adults (18 to 64)
New Jersey
Aetna
1 rating with written reviews
February 18, 2026
Although it was only my first session with Vanessa, she has such an incredible and vibrant energy that instantly makes you feel comfortable to talk to her. Super down to earth, funny, and very helpful. Highly recommend her.