Licensed to practice in Maryland and accepts 9 insurances. Specializes in Anxiety, Couples Counseling, Depression and 10 more.
New to Grow
I’m a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor who believes therapy should feel like a safe, comfortable, and judgment-free space where you can be yourself and talk openly about what’s really going on. I’m down-to-earth, relatable, straightforward, and very solution-focused in my approach. I understand that life can get complicated, and sometimes you need a space where you can put everything on the table without worrying about being judged, criticized, or misunderstood. I’ll meet you where you are, listen to understand your experiences, and give you the space you need to process your thoughts and feelings. At the same time, I’m not a therapist who will simply sit back, nod my head, and tell you what you want to hear. When needed, I’ll ask the difficult questions, challenge you, help you recognize patterns, and encourage you to look at situations from a different perspective. Most importantly, I believe therapy should help you move forward. We’ll talk about the problem, but we’re also going to work together to figure out what you can realistically do about it. My goal is to help you gain insight, recognize your strengths, develop practical tools, and find solutions that actually make sense for your life.
Your first session is really about getting to know you, understanding what brought you to therapy, and figuring out what you would like to be different in your life. I know talking to someone new about personal things can feel uncomfortable, so I don’t expect you to come in and immediately tell me everything. We’ll take the time to talk about what’s going on, what you’ve already tried, what has or hasn’t worked, and what you hope to get out of therapy. I also want you to get a feel for me as your therapist because finding the right fit matters. By the end of our first session, my goal is for you to feel heard, comfortable, and hopeful that there is a direction we can take together. Whenever possible, I also want you to leave with some initial insight, a different perspective, or something practical you can begin working on rather than feeling like you spent an hour answering questions and left with nothing.
One of my biggest strengths as a therapist is my ability to be compassionate and understanding while also being straightforward and honest. I want my clients to feel comfortable being themselves and talking openly without worrying about being judged. I will listen, give you space to process what you’re feeling, and meet you where you are, but I’m also not the therapist who is going to just sit back, nod my head, and tell you what you want to hear. I’m very solution-focused, so while we will absolutely talk about what happened, how you feel, and how your experiences have affected you, I also want to help you figure out what we can do about it. I’ll ask questions, challenge you when necessary, help you look at situations from different perspectives, and sometimes point out patterns that you may not recognize on your own. I also understand that what works for one person may not work for another, so I adjust my approach based on the individual sitting in front of me. I believe therapy should give you more than a place to vent. My goal is for you to leave our sessions with greater understanding, practical tools, and realistic solutions that you can actually use in your everyday life. And while we may work through some difficult things, I also believe there is room for laughter, personality, and being human in therapy.
I work best with clients who are ready for something in their life to change, even if they aren’t quite sure where to start. You may be dealing with anxiety, depression, stress, relationship or family concerns, parenting challenges, trauma, low self-esteem, difficulty setting boundaries, or simply feeling overwhelmed with everything life has placed on you. You may understand what the problem is but still find yourself struggling to figure out what to do differently. I work with teens, adults, couples, and families from different backgrounds and walks of life. You don’t have to come into therapy having everything figured out, and you definitely don’t have to have the “right” words to explain how you feel. We can figure that out together. I work especially well with clients who want a therapist who is relatable, straightforward, nonjudgmental, and actively involved in the therapeutic process. If you want a safe place to talk but also want honest feedback, practical tools, and solutions that can help you move forward, we may be a good fit.
I use CBT to help you recognize how your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are connected. We’ll look at patterns that may be contributing to anxiety, depression, stress, relationship problems, or other challenges. I’ll help you identify thoughts that may be working against you, look at situations from different perspectives, and develop healthier ways of responding. The goal is not just to talk about what’s wrong, but to help you make changes you can actually use in your everyday life.
I use mindfulness to help you slow things down, become more aware of what you’re thinking and feeling, and learn how to respond instead of automatically reacting. This can be especially helpful when you feel overwhelmed, anxious, stressed, angry, or emotionally drained. We may work on grounding techniques, staying present, managing difficult emotions, and learning how to give yourself a moment to think before responding to situations.
When working through trauma, I believe in moving at a pace that feels safe and manageable for you. I’ll help you understand how past experiences may still be affecting your thoughts, emotions, relationships, and reactions today. Together, we’ll work on developing healthy coping skills, challenging beliefs that may have developed because of what you experienced, and finding healthier ways to manage triggers and difficult emotions without making you feel pressured to share more than you’re ready for.
I’m a very straightforward and solution-focused therapist. While I believe it’s important to understand what happened and how it affected you, I don’t believe therapy should only focus on the problem. We’ll also talk about what you want to be different and what we can realistically do to help you get there. I’ll help you recognize your strengths, identify what is already working, set realistic goals, and develop practical steps you can start using in your everyday life.
For clients who want their faith included in therapy, I provide a space where we can incorporate your spiritual beliefs into the work we do together. We may explore how your faith, values, prayer, or spiritual practices can support you while working through difficult situations. I will never force faith into your sessions. It is completely based on your beliefs, comfort level, and what you want your therapy experience to look like.