New to Grow
I have been passionate about becoming a therapist since I took my first Psychology 101 class in high school. Being raised by first-generation parents and immigrant Italian grandparents were some of my fondest memories. However, I also do remember my family having this unspoken rule that we didn’t talk about mental health and had to put on certain appearances around each other. To this day, my family has definitely grown in their own ways, but I had to learn on my own how to be comfortable with my own mental health, emotions, and identity. Since working in private practice, every client I have met has a story of their own. I care tremendously about your story, your lived experiences, and what they mean to you. Looking back, I see signs of being queer and neurodivergent from as early as I can remember. At the time, these aspects about myself were so unknown and suppressed. While I was still in college, I was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease and this completely changed my life. I share some of my experiences to show you that I am human too and I always bring this authenticity to my clients. My therapy space is so warm, empowering, understanding, sensitive, affirming, and compassionate. I care about building a relationship with you that heals all the wounds, both seen and unseen, that you’ve been carrying since childhood.
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
I know how terrifying it can be to meet with someone who you don’t know and you are just expected to talk about yourself and your problems. Usually, therapists utilize the first session to get background information about you. We can take this route or do whatever you need to get the best out of our time together. Majority of my clients don’t feel comfortable just diving into sensitive topics. I want you to know that I am very attuned to my clients’ needs from day one, and we will take this at whatever pace you need.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
I think one of my greatest strengths as a therapist is my authenticity. I am down-to-earth, energetic, loving, curious, proactive, open-minded, dynamic, completely non-judgmental, and unconditionally empathetic. My clients feel this from me and I know it heals them along with the work we do. I notice that my clients tend to open up fairly quickly for this reason as well. For my neurodivergent, disabled, and queer clients, nothing is more powerful than a therapist who knows and experiences what you are going through. Regardless of why you are coming to therapy, I believe my clients see results because I tailor each and every single one of their treatment plans to meet their unique needs, preferences, interests, and strengths, and always adjust as we move forward together.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
To be completely honest, I don’t really have an “ideal client.” My clients, primarily adults, have been from every background and career. In terms of therapy goals, some of my clients have come not really sure exactly what they are looking for but want someone to talk to. Many of my clients have an immediate goal they want to work on and our process is more short-term. A portion of my clients are uncertain about or not interested in receiving any kind of diagnosis and I honor that completely. There are so many areas that we can explore without discussing this, such as life transitions, identity, relationships, intimacy, self-esteem, family conflict, coping skills, grief, sleep issues, cultural challenges, parenting, work stress/struggles, and school-related issues. For clients who are more interested in or considering certain mental health diagnoses, I have extensive experience serving adults with: autism; ADHD; OCD; anxiety; depression/postpartum; chronic illness; trauma and complex trauma; disordered eating; learning disabilities; phobias; addiction; and suicidal ideation. I notice for all of my clients, that maintaining a consistent relationship with a therapist is extremely regulating to the nervous system and has magical healing powers. I will acknowledge that a large majority of my clients do stick with me for the long-term, especially those who are neurodivergent, women, queer, and disabled. My clients often express relief that they feel like they “never need to explain themselves” with me as their therapist. With my neurodivergent clients, my approach is very individualized and often includes various types coaching- such as life coaching, dating, accountability, daily living skills, executive functioning, career, academic, and vocational. I am a late-diagnosed women with autism and ADHD who learned about her diagnoses from social medial (Tik Tok, I know). Like many late-diagnosed or questioning adults, I “flew under the radar” from being diagnosed because my grades never suffered in school and I displayed no “problematic behaviors.” Now, I am passionate about helping my communities learn about their own neurodivergence in a way that is empowering and not pathologizing. There are so many beautiful strengths we possess, but also many challenges that can cause a lot of shame and confusion. If you have the slightest inkling this may be you, please reach out! You are not alone.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
ACT is a primary modality that I have utilized with my clients for almost 5 years, and one of my favorites. I find ACT extremely helpful for my clients who are overthinkers or have any kind of unwanted thoughts and feelings. ACT helps my clients learn to make room for these thoughts and feelings without judgment. The results of this practice are significant, especially reducing their power over you. Acceptance work is also extremely important to me as a therapist on an identity-level. With self-acceptance comes endless growth and possibilities. I find this work particularly beneficial for my neurodivergent clients. As a neurodivergent person myself, I know the unique challenges that we face across all areas of life, including just navigating our everyday life. We can be highly self-critical and acceptance work truly abolishes that.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I have received over 3 years of doctoral training in CBT at Fordham University and have been using it with my clients for almost 5 years. I appreciate CBT because it has the most research supporting its effectiveness, especially for treating challenges such as anxiety, depression, body image issues, trauma, and many more. With this approach, my clients and I collaboratively explore any negative or uncomfortable thoughts that may be worsening their symptoms. By challenging or reframing these thoughts, we actually can rewire your brain and nervous system (how it manages stress) to be less activated. CBT also includes psychoeducation. Psychoeducation is basically the idea that I teach you about anything involving mental health. I know some clients are worried about therapy being too pathologizing and diagnosis-heavy and I completely honor that. However, I do find that for most of my clients, knowledge is power, especially those who are questioning neurodivergence or late-identified. Being able to have a name for what you are struggling with heals shame, self-doubt, loneliness, and self-criticism in the most incredible ways. Knowing what is happening makes you feel like you are not alone or deficient in any way, and it allows us to treat it effectively. I also utilize exposure and response prevention (ERP), a highly effective CBT technique, with majority of my clients who are struggling with any repetitive, uncomfortable, or unwanted thoughts that keep showing up. ERP is considered the gold-standard treatment for this challenge, especially if you suspect that you may be suffering from obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). There is a common misconception that OCD means you have to do certain behaviors compulsively (for example, constant hand-washing or touching doorknobs). There are a range of what are called mental compulsions (for example, constantly reviewing thoughts in your head) that I have seen more regularly among my clients and have used ERP to eliminate completely.
Gender-affirming therapy
As a proud member of the LGBTQIA+ community, gender- and sexuality- affirming therapy is extremely important to me as a therapist. I have had the honor of supporting clients in the LGBTQIA+ community who possess diverse identities and experiences. For example, I have had the privilege of supporting clients through their transition, coming out to loved ones, navigating unsafe environments, exploring non-monogamy, participating in kink, establishing community, and adjusting to moving from more conservative locations. I have also proudly written numerous letters of support for gender-affirming surgery.
Culturally Sensitive Therapy
My therapeutic approach is highly culturally sensitive, affirmative, and anti-oppressive. I proudly and openly identify as queer, neurodivergent (autism and ADHD), and second-generation Italian American. My grandparents are all immigrants from Italy. I care deeply about supporting and advocating for identity inside and out of the therapy room. In my work with clients, I support areas such as navigating minority stress, intersectionality, acculturation, visa sponsorship, oppression, immigration, cultural values, systemic challenges, generational differences/trauma, and managing mental health stigma. My personal and professional values are rooted in feminism. I believe that clients’ problems often stem from societal inequalities and unfair political structures, especially for people of color, women, gender-diverse individuals, and all marginalized groups. As a therapist, my clients and I work as equal participants rather than the traditional “expert-patient” hierarchy. I support clients processing the emotional impact of racism, discrimination, and cultural invalidation. We make space to name experiences that are often minimized, and understand the stress responses that can develop from them. Therapy focuses on restoring safety, agency, and self-trust while moving at a pace that feels protective rather than overwhelming. My approach centers your lived experience rather than pathologizing your reactions. I want to nurture your incredible strengths and help you feel as empowered and safe as possible in your environments.
Grief Therapy
To be completely transparent, I have had to face grief on so many levels throughout my life. To self-disclose, I have managed chronic illness, particularly Crohn’s disease (chronic stomach inflammation), for over 13 years. I also lost my father to dementia when he was only 62. Grief is one of the hardest experiences to process and there are so many feelings involved. I am passionate about helping clients dealing with all forms of grief, especially chronic illness, loss, trauma, or any changes or transitions that are hard to accept.