New to Grow
We all have things that we may struggle with from time to time, and it is important to find a professional that you can relate to when you need help. I enjoy helping people work through the difficulties of life, with a warm and non-judgmental attitude. My approach to therapy is laid-back and down to earth. Your sessions with me will very much be directed by you. Whatever brings you to therapy, know that it is my goal to partner with you and support you as you work toward healing, growth and wellness to sustain a healthy life with meaning and purpose.
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
In our first session, my priority is to create a space where you feel safe, heard, and not judged. We’ll move at your pace. I’ll ask some gentle questions to get to know you, but there’s no pressure to share more than you’re ready for. The tone is laid back and warm, and we’ll focus together on what you need right now rather than on perfection or “having it all figured out.”
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
In my work, I am nonjudgmental, encouraging, and focused on empowering you rather than criticizing you. I aim to help people weather the storm, build themselves back up, and learn how to “command the day,” even when life feels overwhelming. Together, we’ll practice slowing down, breathing, and remembering that this is just one chapter in your life not your whole story.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
Maybe you are here to better understand an addiction, process grief, unpack trauma, or sort through relational pain. I am here to help. I am especially well-suited to work with marital and divorce distress, depression, anxiety, spiritual concerns, domestic violence, stress, substance use, and self-esteem challenges.
Person-centered (Rogerian)
I use a person-centered approach as the foundation of my work, focusing on creating a safe, nonjudgmental space where clients feel heard, respected, and empowered to define their own goals. I prioritize empathy, unconditional positive regard, and genuine collaboration, allowing clients to set the pace while I reflect, clarify, and support their insights. Even when I integrate structured methods like CBT or MI, I apply them in a person-centered way—checking for fit, inviting feedback, and tailoring interventions to each client’s values, culture, and lived experience.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
I use Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) to help clients notice difficult thoughts and feelings without getting stuck in them, while staying focused on what truly matters to them. In practice, I incorporate mindfulness, values clarification, and committed action so clients can build lives that feel meaningful even when pain, cravings, or anxiety are present. I often pair ACT with other evidence-based approaches, using its emphasis on acceptance and values to enhance motivation, reduce avoidance, and support long-term behavior change.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
I incorporate Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) to help clients build skills in four key areas: emotion regulation, distress tolerance, mindfulness, and interpersonal effectiveness. In my practice, I use DBT-informed strategies to support clients who struggle with intense emotions, impulsive behaviors, or relationship difficulties, helping them find a balance between acceptance and change. I often integrate DBT skills into individual and group work, offering concrete tools clients can use in real-time to stay grounded, reduce self-destructive behaviors, and improve communication.
Gestalt
I use Gestalt-informed approaches to help clients increase awareness of their present-moment thoughts, emotions, and body sensations, and how these show up in the therapy relationship. In practice, I may invite clients to experiment with “here-and-now” exercises—such as role plays, empty-chair work, or focusing on body signals—to explore unfinished business and patterns that keep them stuck. By staying curious about what is happening in the moment rather than only analyzing the past, I support clients in developing deeper self-awareness, ownership of their choices, and new ways of relating to themselves and others.
Motivational Interviewing
I routinely use Motivational Interviewing (MI) to help clients explore and resolve ambivalence about change in a respectful, nonjudgmental way. In my practice, I focus on evoking clients’ own reasons for change, using open questions, affirmations, reflections, and summaries to strengthen their sense of autonomy and self-efficacy. I integrate MI across settings—from brief encounters to ongoing therapy by meeting clients where they are, rolling with resistance, and collaboratively developing realistic, client-driven goals.