New to Grow
I’m a licensed clinical social worker and substance abuse counselor with more than a decade of experience supporting individuals and families through trauma, complex family dynamics, and major life transitions. Before becoming a therapist, I walked through many of the same challenges my clients face today—navigating family addiction, raising children as a single mother, juggling financial stress, and trying to build a meaningful career while holding everything together. Those experiences shaped not only who I am, but how I practice. They allow me to show up with a level of empathy, clarity, and groundedness that clients often say helps them feel understood in a way they haven’t experienced before. My approach is warm, collaborative, and rooted in evidence‑based practices like CBT, DBT, Attachment‑Based Family Therapy, and trauma‑informed care. I help clients understand their emotional patterns, strengthen regulation skills, and break cycles that no longer serve them. I’m especially passionate about supporting people who feel overwhelmed by stress, stuck in old relational patterns, or disconnected from themselves or their families. Many of my clients are navigating the impact of trauma, working through family conflict, or trying to rebuild connection with their children or teens. I believe healing happens when people feel safe, respected, and empowered. In our work together, you can expect a space where your story is honored, your strengths are recognized, and your goals are taken seriously. Whether you’re trying to create stability, deepen relationships, or move toward a life that feels more aligned, I’m here to support you with compassion, structure, and a belief in your capacity to grow.
Your first session with me is all about creating a space where you can exhale, settle in, and begin sharing your story at a pace that feels comfortable. I know starting therapy can feel vulnerable, especially if you’re used to carrying a lot on your own, so my priority is to help you feel safe, respected, and understood from the very beginning. We’ll start by talking about what brought you in—your concerns, your goals, and what you’re hoping will feel different in your life or relationships. You don’t need to have the perfect words or a clear plan. Many clients come in feeling overwhelmed, unsure where to start, or even nervous about saying things out loud. That’s completely okay. I’ll guide the conversation with curiosity and care. I’ll also ask some questions about your history, your current stressors, and the patterns you’ve noticed in yourself or your relationships. This helps me understand the full picture so we can begin shaping a plan that fits your needs. Throughout the session, I’ll check in with you, make sure the pace feels right, and offer reflections to help you feel seen and grounded. By the end of our first session, you’ll have a sense of how I work, what our sessions might look like, and how we can move forward together. My goal is for you to leave feeling heard, supported, and hopeful—knowing you don’t have to navigate any of this alone.
One of my greatest strengths as a therapist is the way I show up with genuine authenticity. I don’t hide behind clinical language or a detached persona—I bring my full, grounded self into the room. Clients often tell me they can feel that I’m real with them: present, human, and deeply invested in their healing. I believe authenticity builds trust, and trust is what makes meaningful change possible. My authenticity is shaped by both my professional training and my lived experience. I’ve navigated many of the same challenges my clients face—family addiction, single motherhood, financial strain, and the pressure to stay strong while everything feels unstable. These experiences allow me to connect with clients in a way that feels honest and relatable. I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but I do know what it means to rebuild yourself while building a life, and I bring that understanding into every session. Another strength is my ability to create a space that feels safe, steady, and non‑judgmental. I’m warm and relational, but also direct when it’s needed. I help clients understand their emotional patterns, regulate their nervous system, and break cycles shaped by trauma or family systems. My work is grounded in evidence‑based practices like CBT, DBT, and Attachment‑Based Family Therapy, but I use them in a way that feels human—not mechanical. I’m especially strong at supporting clients who feel overwhelmed or stuck. I help them slow down, make sense of their experiences, and take steps that feel doable and empowering. What makes me unique is the combination of clinical skill, lived experience, and genuine authenticity I bring to the therapeutic relationship. I show up fully—attuned, grounded, and committed to helping clients create meaningful, sustainable change.
Some of the clients I’m most aligned to support are those who reflect earlier chapters of my own life—people navigating complex family systems, carrying responsibilities that feel too heavy, or trying to build a future while managing the weight of their past. These clients often show up with resilience they don’t even recognize yet, and a deep desire to break cycles, create stability, and build something better for themselves and their families. I’m deeply connected to clients who are single mothers trying to build a life while raising children, pursuing career goals, and managing financial or emotional stress. These clients are often stretched thin, but they’re also incredibly motivated. They want support that honors both their strength and their vulnerability. I help them regulate their emotions, strengthen their support systems, and move toward their goals without losing themselves in the process. I work especially well with individuals who grew up in or are currently impacted by family addiction. These clients often carry roles they never asked for—caretaker, peacekeeper, problem-solver—and they’re exhausted from holding everything together. They want to understand their patterns, set boundaries without guilt, and heal from the emotional chaos that shaped them. I help them untangle those dynamics with compassion, clarity, and a deep understanding of how addiction affects the entire family system. I’m especially aligned with parents who want to strengthen their relationship with their teen but feel stuck in conflict, miscommunication, or emotional distance. These parents are trying their best, often without the tools or support they need. I help them understand their teen’s emotional world, repair ruptures, and build connection through empathy, boundaries, and attunement. My background in schools, residential programs, and family systems work allows me to bridge the gap between parent and teen in a way that feels supportive for both.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I have extensive training and experience using Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and it remains one of the core evidence‑based approaches I draw from in my clinical work. Over the years, I’ve used CBT with individuals and families across settings—including schools, residential programs, and community-based services—which has given me a deep appreciation for how flexible and empowering this method can be. CBT is rooted in the idea that our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are interconnected. When people feel stuck, overwhelmed, or reactive, it’s often because certain patterns have become automatic. In my practice, I use CBT to help clients slow down those patterns, understand what’s driving them, and build new, healthier ways of responding.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
I have extensive training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), and I regularly integrate DBT principles and skills into my clinical work. My experience using DBT across school settings, residential programs, and community-based services has shown me how powerful this approach can be for clients who struggle with emotional intensity, relationship patterns, or feeling “stuck” between what they feel and what they want. DBT is grounded in the balance between acceptance and change—helping clients honor their lived experiences while also building the skills to move toward the life they want. I find this framework especially supportive for individuals navigating trauma responses, chronic stress, or patterns that feel hard to interrupt.
Attachment-based
I have extensive experience using Attachment‑Based Family Therapy (ABFT), and it aligns closely with my core clinical values - healing through connection, strengthening family systems, and restoring a sense of safety in relationships. My work across schools, residential programs, and community-based settings has shown me how profoundly attachment injuries shape emotional and behavioral patterns, and how powerful it can be when families learn to repair those ruptures together. ABFT provides a structured, evidence‑based framework for helping families rebuild trust, increase emotional openness, and create more secure patterns of relating. I find this approach especially meaningful for youth and adults navigating trauma histories, conflictual family dynamics, or experiences of disconnection that continue to impact their mental health.
Trauma Informed Care
Trauma‑Informed Care is foundational to the way I practice. With over a decade of experience supporting individuals and families across schools, residential programs, community-based services, and clinical settings, I’ve seen firsthand how trauma—both acute and chronic—shapes a person’s emotional world, relationships, and sense of safety. My work is grounded in the belief that healing happens when people feel seen, respected, and empowered. Trauma‑Informed Care is not a single intervention; it’s a lens, a stance, and a commitment to honoring the whole person. It guides how I build relationships, structure sessions, and support clients in reclaiming agency and resilience.