New to Grow
I am a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) and Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) with a decade of clinical experience supporting individuals through some of life's most difficult challenges. I earned my Master of Science in Clinical Professional Counseling from Central Connecticut State University, with specialized training in addictions recovery, mental health, and rehabilitation. Throughout my career, I have worked with a wide range of clients across diverse and often high-stakes settings. Most recently, I spent seven years as a Licensed Professional Counselor at Garner Correctional Institution, providing individual counseling, group therapy, and crisis intervention to justice-involved adults navigating complex mental health needs, trauma, and reentry challenges. Prior to that, I served as an Outpatient Therapist at Farrell Treatment Center, where I helped establish a new Intensive Outpatient Program and delivered trauma-informed, gender-responsive care to individuals struggling with substance use and co-occurring disorders. My earlier work with the Brain Injury Alliance of Connecticut and the Hospital for Special Care deepened my understanding of how neurological, behavioral, and emotional health intersect. I work with men, women, teenagers, and young adults of any gender, race, religious background, or sexual orientation who are open to learning new skills and committed to meaningful goals in therapy. Clients often come to me seeking support with anxiety, depression, trauma, substance use, life transitions, relationship challenges, and the lasting effects of adverse life experiences. Drawing on evidence-based approaches including Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, I tailor treatment to each client's strengths, values, and goals. I am committed to providing a welcoming, nonjudgmental space where every client feels respected, heard, and empowered to create meaningful, lasting change.
Taking the first step toward therapy can feel intimidating, and I want you to know that your comfort and sense of safety are my top priorities from the moment we meet. Our first session is an opportunity for us to get to know one another and for you to decide whether I feel like the right fit for your needs. There is no pressure to have everything figured out or to share more than you are ready to share. During our initial meeting, I will take time to listen and learn about what brings you to therapy, what you hope to gain from our work together, and a bit about your background, strengths, and current circumstances. I will ask thoughtful questions to better understand your goals and any challenges you are facing, while also giving you space to ask me anything you would like to know about my approach, experience, or the therapy process itself. Together, we will begin to identify what you want your life to look like moving forward and discuss how we can work collaboratively to get you there. You can expect honesty, warmth, and a nonjudgmental ear. My goal is for you to leave our first session feeling heard, respected, and hopeful about the path ahead, with a clearer sense of what treatment with me will look like and confidence that you are not navigating this alone.
What makes my approach unique is the depth and breadth of clinical experience I bring to every session. Over the past decade, I have worked with some of the most complex and underserved populations in behavioral health, including individuals navigating incarceration and reentry, substance use and co-occurring disorders, acquired brain injury, and the lasting effects of trauma. This background has given me a rare perspective on human resilience and a deep respect for the courage it takes to ask for help and commit to change. I believe meaningful therapy is built on genuine connection, not a one-size-fits-all formula. While I am trained in evidence-based approaches such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing, and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy, I tailor each method to fit the person sitting across from me, not the other way around. I draw from trauma-informed and gender-responsive frameworks, and I understand how factors like adverse childhood experiences, family dynamics, identity, and life circumstances shape who we are and how we cope. Clients often tell me they feel truly heard in my office, sometimes for the first time. I bring an honest, down-to-earth presence to our work together. I will not judge you, talk down to you, or hand you a script. Instead, I will meet you where you are, help you make sense of what you are experiencing, and work alongside you to build practical skills and lasting insight. What stands out most about my work is the results clients create for themselves. I have watched people rebuild their lives after incarceration, reclaim their identity after trauma, find stability after years of addiction, and rediscover hope after brain injury or loss. My role is not to fix you, because you are not broken. My role is to walk beside you as you uncover your own strength, clarify what matters most, and take meaningful steps toward the life you want to live.
I work with men, women, teenagers, and young adults of any gender, race, religious background, or sexual orientation who are open to learning new skills and committed to achieving meaningful goals in their therapy. My clients are individuals willing to engage in honest self-reflection, practice new strategies between sessions, and actively participate in the therapeutic process. Whether you are navigating anxiety, depression, trauma, life transitions, identity questions, academic or career pressures, relationship challenges, or family dynamics, I strive to create a welcoming, nonjudgmental space where your unique background and experiences are respected. A willingness to explore change, try new approaches, and collaborate openly with me creates the foundation for lasting growth and meaningful progress toward the life you want.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
I use ACT to help clients stop struggling against difficult thoughts and feelings, and instead learn to make room for them while moving forward with what matters most. Together, we clarify your personal values and build the psychological flexibility to take meaningful action, even when life feels uncomfortable or uncertain.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
CBT is a practical, evidence-based approach I draw on to help clients recognize how their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors influence one another. By identifying unhelpful thinking patterns and trying out new ways of responding, you can develop concrete skills to manage anxiety, depression, and other challenges in everyday life.
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
This approach focuses on your strengths and what's already working in your life, rather than dwelling on problems. Together we'll identify small, achievable steps toward the future you want, building on past successes to create meaningful change in a relatively short period of time.
Motivational Interviewing
I use motivational interviewing as a collaborative, nonjudgmental way of helping clients explore their own reasons for change. Rather than telling you what to do, I'll partner with you to understand any mixed feelings you have about change and help strengthen your own motivation and confidence to move forward.