As a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist, I work with adults and children who feel overwhelmed, emotionally drained, or disconnected from themselves. You may be doing everything you can to keep going—showing up for work or school, caring for others, and managing daily life—while quietly carrying anxiety, sadness, anger, or deep exhaustion. Sometimes your reactions feel bigger than expected. Sometimes life just doesn’t feel like it used to. I specialize in trauma-informed care and understand that these experiences are not signs of weakness. They are often signs that your mind and body have been working hard to cope. I believe healing happens when you feel safe, understood, and supported at your own pace. In our work together, I offer a calm and steady presence. Therapy with me is not about pushing you to “just move on” or forcing change before you’re ready. It’s about slowing down, listening to what your mind and body are holding, and creating space for relief and clarity. My role is to walk alongside you as you regain a sense of stability and reconnect with the part of you that holds resilience, strength, and the capacity for joy—even if that feels far away right now.
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
The first session is focused on building safety and trust. There is no pressure to say the “right” thing or to share everything at once. We move at a pace that feels manageable for you. We will talk about what has been weighing on you, what feels most urgent, and what you hope might change through therapy. I may ask gentle questions to better understand your experiences, but the goal is always to help you feel supported—not overwhelmed. For adults, the first session often brings relief simply from being heard without judgment. For children, sessions are developmentally appropriate and centered on helping them feel safe and understood. Emotional expression is welcome in whatever way feels natural—through words, play, or quiet presence. If anything feels too intense, we slow down. If grounding or stabilization is needed, we focus there first. You can expect to leave with a clearer sense of direction and an initial plan for moving forward.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
My approach is warm, collaborative, and deeply trauma-informed. I balance compassion with practical support, helping both adults and children learn tools they can use in everyday life. I focus on building emotional regulation, stability, and self-awareness in ways that feel steady and manageable. I specialize in understanding how trauma affects emotions, thoughts, relationships, and the body. Rather than asking, “What’s wrong with you?” I approach therapy with curiosity: “What happened, and how did you adapt to survive?” This shift often reduces shame and builds self-compassion. I bring structure and clear direction to our work while staying attuned to your readiness. Together, we build skills that support daily life at home, school, or work. At the same time, we gently explore deeper experiences in a way that feels safe and contained. My goal is to help you make meaningful progress while maintaining emotional stability throughout the process.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
I work well with adults and children experiencing anxiety, depression, emotional overwhelm, and the lasting effects of trauma or unresolved life experiences. You may feel stuck, unsure why certain reactions keep happening, or exhausted from trying to hold everything together. Adults often describe racing thoughts, constant self-pressure, or feeling disconnected from joy. Some feel reactive or easily overwhelmed. Others feel numb or emotionally shut down. Trauma may be clear and identifiable, or it may show up as long-term stress, difficult relationships, or painful experiences that were never fully processed. Children may show distress through emotional outbursts, withdrawal, anxiety, behavior changes, trouble focusing, sleep difficulties, or shifts in mood. Often, they are doing the best they can with feelings they do not yet have words for. The people I serve are looking for relief—but also for steadiness and understanding. Therapy goals often include healing from trauma, reducing anxiety and depression, improving emotional regulation, and reconnecting with a sense of self that feels grounded, whole, and authentic.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
CBT in a practical, supportive way to help people understand how their thoughts, emotions, and reactions are connected. Together, we look at what you’ve learned about yourself, other people, the world, and what you expect from the future—and how those beliefs may have formed during stressful or painful experiences. The goal is not to judge or “fix” your thoughts, but to gently understand them, reduce overwhelm, and create more helpful ways of responding so daily life feels more manageable and steady.
EMDR
EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) as a gentle, structured approach to help both adults and children work through deeper symptoms related to trauma and overwhelming life experiences. At times, the mind and body continue to hold onto painful experiences long after the event has passed, even when someone logically understands that they are now safe. EMDR helps the brain and nervous system process these experiences so they no longer feel as intense or disruptive in the present. In my work, EMDR is always introduced thoughtfully and at a pace that feels safe and manageable. We pay close attention to how distress shows up not only in thoughts and emotions, but also in the body—such as tension, tightness, or sudden emotional reactions. By gently supporting the connection between mind and body, EMDR allows stored distress to move, settle, and integrate rather than remain stuck. For children, EMDR is adapted in developmentally appropriate ways, using simple language, grounding tools, and creativity to support safety and comfort. For adults, the focus remains on building awareness, regulation, and trust in the process. EMDR is not about reliving painful memories, but about helping the nervous system release what it has been holding and make room for relief, clarity, and healing.Throughout EMDR work, emotional safety, choice, and collaboration remain central. This allows healing to unfold in a way that feels respectful, contained, and supportive for both adults and children.
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
Mindfulness in a gentle, supportive way to help adults and children feel more grounded in the present moment and more connected to themselves. Mindfulness is not about clearing the mind or doing anything perfectly. It is about noticing what is happening right now—with curiosity and kindness—rather than getting pulled into worry about the past or future. In therapy, mindfulness helps slow things down. We gently bring attention to breathing, body sensations, emotions, or simple moments of awareness so the nervous system can settle. This supports ongoing regulation, especially when stress, anxiety, or strong emotions begin to rise. Over time, mindfulness helps people recognize early signs of overwhelm and respond with care instead of reacting automatically. For children, mindfulness is introduced in simple, accessible ways—through movement, sensory awareness, or brief moments of noticing. For adults, it may look like learning how to pause, check in with the body, or gently shift attention when emotions feel intense. The focus is always on creating safety and ease, not pushing through discomfort. Mindfulness in my work is woven into therapy as a supportive anchor. It helps build a steady connection to the present moment, allowing both adults and children to feel more regulated, more aware, and more capable of navigating daily life with greater calm and balance.
Play Therapy
Children often express what they are feeling through play and imagination rather than words. When something feels confusing, scary, or overwhelming, play gives children a safe way to show what is happening inside without having to explain it directly. Through play, children can act out experiences, try out different endings, and explore feelings in a way that feels natural and manageable. In therapy, play and imagination help children work through big emotions and difficult experiences at their own pace. A child might use toys, stories, drawings, or pretend scenarios to express fear, anger, sadness, or worry. This process allows the mind and body to release tension, make sense of what happened, and begin to feel safer. Play also helps children feel more in control. By using imagination, children can practice coping, problem-solving, and emotional regulation in a way that feels safe and empowering. Over time, play supports healing by helping children feel understood, calmer, and more confident as they move through challenges.