New to Grow
I have eight years of experience providing psychotherapy to both adolescents and adults across a range of clinical settings. My professional background includes working in the community as a family therapist on an Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) team, where I treated individuals with serious mental illnesses, as well as serving as a crisis counselor at multiple crisis centers. I have also worked as a Substance Abuse Prevention and Intervention Specialist in New York City public schools and as a therapist in a substance abuse treatment clinic. My clinical work primarily focuses on helping clients manage and reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety, recognize and regulate anger, and develop healthier emotional and behavioral coping strategies. I support clients in identifying triggers, increasing self awareness, and building skills to manage intense emotions in adaptive ways. I also work extensively with individuals experiencing major life transitions, helping them navigate the stressors associated with change, including uncertainty, instability, and shifts in identity or roles. Through a collaborative and strengths based approach, I assist clients in building resilience, increasing emotional well being, and fostering personal growth during challenging periods. Across all settings, I emphasize the development of healthy coping skills, emotional regulation, and self efficacy. My approach is grounded in empathy, cultural responsiveness, and evidence based practices, with the goal of empowering clients to create meaningful and sustainable change in their lives.
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
Your first therapy session is an opportunity for us to get to know one another and begin building a safe, supportive, and collaborative relationship. During our first session, we will talk about what brings you to therapy and what you hope to gain from it. I will ask questions about your current concerns, emotional well being, and any challenges you may be experiencing, such as anxiety, depression, anger, substance use, or stress related to life transitions. This session is not about having all the answers or diving into everything at once it’s about creating a space where you feel heard, respected, and understood.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
What distinguishes my therapeutic approach is my ability to integrate evidence based practices with a strong relational foundation and real world clinical experience across multiple levels of care. With eight years of experience working with adolescents and adults in community, crisis, school based, and substance use treatment settings, I bring a depth of clinical flexibility and situational awareness to my work. I take a collaborative, client-centered approach that emphasizes safety, trust, and respect for each client’s lived experience. Clients often experience me as grounded, nonjudgmental, and emotionally attuned, which allows for rapid rapport building, even with individuals who are hesitant, ambivalent, or in crisis.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
If you’re experiencing anxiety, depression, or other life stressors and are seeking meaningful change, you don’t have to face it alone. You may feel stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure of how to move forward but you’re ready to take the next step toward healing and personal growth. Together, we can work to confront these challenges in a supportive and nonjudgmental space. Through our work, we’ll build insight, strengthen resilience, and develop practical strategies for lasting change.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
In my practice I use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy to help clients increase psychological flexibility, particularly in the context of substance use, emotional distress, and recovery. ACT guides clients to move away from avoidance and control based coping strategies and toward values driven behavior, even in the presence of uncomfortable thoughts, emotions, or urges. I incorporate ACT by helping clients develop awareness of their internal experiences, including thoughts, feelings, cravings, and bodily sensations, without attempting to suppress, deny, or escape them. Clients are encouraged to practice acceptance of these experiences as temporary and manageable, rather than viewing them as problems that must be eliminated before change can occur. This approach is especially helpful in substance use treatment, where avoidance of distress often maintains addictive behaviors.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
In my practice, I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to support clients experiencing anxiety and depression related to major life transitions, such as changes in relationships, employment, health, housing, or recovery status. I conceptualize emotional distress during transitions as often stemming from maladaptive thought patterns, increased uncertainty, and disruptions in routine, identity, and perceived control.
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
In my practice, I use Solution Focused Brief Therapy to support clients who are experiencing multiple life stressors and suicidal ideation by emphasizing safety, strengths, resilience, and small, achievable steps toward stabilization. I integrate SFBT within a trauma informed and risk aware framework, ensuring that safety assessment and appropriate interventions are prioritized while also helping clients reconnect with hope and agency.
Positive Psychology
In my private practice, I integrate principles of Positive Psychology to help clients strengthen self esteem, build resilience, and improve functioning within family relationships. I use this approach to shift the therapeutic focus from solely reducing distress to also cultivating strengths, positive self concept, and healthier relational patterns, particularly for clients who struggle with chronic self criticism and ongoing family conflict.
Motivational Interviewing
In my practice, I use Motivational Interviewing (MI) to help clients who are struggling with substance use or feeling stuck in areas of their lives due to ambivalence, low motivation, or uncertainty about change. I approach clients with a nonjudgmental, collaborative stance that emphasizes empathy, respect for autonomy, and curiosity rather than confrontation or pressure.