LCMHC, 8 years of experience
I’m a licensed therapist who supports women who have spent most of their lives being the strong one, the responsible one, and the over-functioner for everyone else. Many of the women I work with grew up emotionally neglected or learned early on that their value came from how much they could carry. I help them reconnect with themselves, feel grounded again, and build a sense of identity and worthiness that isn’t tied to performance, achievement, or constantly being “the strong one.”
Your first session is a chance for us to get to know each other and understand what brings you to therapy. I’ll ask about your history, current stressors, and what you want support with, and I’ll explain my therapeutic approach so you feel comfortable with the process. There’s no pressure to share anything before you’re ready. This session is about creating a safe, grounded space where you can exhale and begin exploring what you need.
My greatest strength is my ability to deeply attune to women who have spent their whole lives holding everything together. I’m skilled at helping clients slow down, feel safe inside their own bodies, and understand the parts of themselves that learned to over-function, over-give, or stay “strong” even when they’re exhausted. I combine IFS, EMDR, and gentle CBT in a way that helps clients finally feel seen, supported, and understood — not judged or pushed. Together, we work to heal the root wounds that drive anxiety, overwhelm, and “never enough” patterns so lasting change feels possible.
My ideal clients are women who have spent most of their lives being the strong one, the responsible one, and the one who keeps everything together. Many grew up emotionally neglected or learned early on that love, safety, and acceptance came from how well they performed. They often appear high-functioning on the outside but feel overwhelmed, exhausted, disconnected from themselves, or stuck in “never enough” mode on the inside. I’m best positioned to support women who want to understand their patterns, reconnect with who they are beneath the pressure, and finally build a sense of self-worth that isn’t tied to achievement or over-functioning.
I have extensive experience using Internal Family Systems (IFS) to help clients who grew up emotionally neglected or who learned to over-function and disconnect from their own needs. My approach is gentle, relational, and attuned to the parts of you that carry overwhelm, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and chronic self-doubt. In IFS sessions, I help clients: Identify the parts of them that feel exhausted, anxious, or “never enough” Build inner safety and compassion Connect with the younger, wounded parts that hold grief, fear, or loneliness Release burdens that came from childhood roles (caretaker, peacemaker, overachiever, etc.) Develop a more grounded sense of identity and self-worth I use IFS to help clients move out of “survival mode” and reconnect with who they are beneath the responsibilities and emotional weight they’ve carried for years. It’s a collaborative, non-pathologizing approach that gives clients a sense of inner clarity, peace, and emotional freedom.
I am trained in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization & Reprocessing) and use it to help clients process distressing memories, emotional wounds, and the stuck beliefs that come from trauma or chronic childhood stress. My EMDR approach is slow, safe, and paced according to your nervous system — especially important for high-functioning clients who have been overwhelmed for years without realizing it. With EMDR, I help clients: Identify the past experiences that still shape current triggers Reduce the emotional intensity of those memories Reprocess beliefs like “I’m not enough,” “I have to do everything,” or “I’m alone” Shift from chronic hypervigilance or shutdown into a more regulated, stable state Strengthen new beliefs rooted in worthiness, safety, and self-compassion I combine EMDR with parts work (IFS), grounding strategies, and emotional regulation tools to ensure that each session feels safe and not overwhelming. The goal is not to erase memories, but to help your nervous system stop reliving them so you can move through life with more ease and less emotional weight.
I use Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to help clients understand the connection between their thoughts, emotions, and actions—especially for women who have spent years over-functioning, people-pleasing, or carrying overwhelming responsibility. My approach to CBT is gentle, collaborative, and tailored to clients who grew up with emotional neglect or learned early on that they had to be “the strong one” in order to feel safe or valued. With CBT, I help clients: Identify automatic thoughts rooted in fear, shame, or “never enough” patterns Challenge the beliefs that keep them over-functioning or emotionally disconnected Replace self-critical or perfectionistic thinking with more compassionate, grounded perspectives Develop emotional awareness and tools for managing overwhelm Build healthier boundaries and ways of responding to stress I integrate CBT with IFS, somatic awareness, and trauma-sensitive pacing so that clients can shift their thinking without feeling pressured, judged, or expected to “just think differently.” CBT becomes a framework for clients to understand their internal world, not a rigid checklist. This approach helps clients create meaningful, sustainable changes in how they see themselves, how they respond to challenges, and how they show up in relationships.