LCSW, 5 years of experience
New to Grow
I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the state of Florida (but in my past life, I was a writer and a yoga teacher!). I graduated with my MSW from Florida Atlantic University in 2023. Prior to entering private practice, I interned and worked in the substance use treatment industry for five years. While I’ve worked with a diverse range of individuals, couples, and families over the course of my career thus far, I spent my first three years in the industry working at a substance use treatment facility that serves the LGBTQIA+ population: a beautiful and eye-opening experience. Outside of private practice work, I currently facilitate groups at a mental health facility several times/week.
Telling a perfect stranger about the most personal aspects of your life is not easy for many people, to say the least. Therapy can make us feel very vulnerable, especially at first. When you work with me, you’ll find -- from Day 1 -- that I’m very human; I will NEVER give you the impression that I believe I’m above you — because I’m not! Our first several sessions will center around trust- and rapport-building: me gathering some of the details of your backstory, and the two of us getting to know each other better through questions and conversation.
I'm a very conversational therapist! In other words, I'm not the type of clinician who will sit back and remain silent for 85% of your session (a valid therapeutic style -- just not mine!). Though you will, of course, have plenty of space to process and speak (it IS my job, first and foremost, to hold that space for YOU!), I naturally talk back quite a bit! I am IFS-, DBT-, and CBT-informed, and incorporate these modalities into my therapy sessions when I believe it may be beneficial to do so. In addition, I am a strong believer in holistic (mind/body) wellness, and am open to utilizing creative expression (art, poetry, etc.) as a therapeutic tool!
I’m passionate about helping my clients reconcile with troubling aspects of their pasts and make choices aligned with who they want to be in the present and the future, so that they can walk through the world as their best, most empowered and authentic selves! I specialize in working with individuals struggling with substance use and/or process addictions (such as eating disorders, sexual addiction, etc.), and have received ample training in both queer/gender-affirming and trauma-informed care. I am best positioned to serve clients who are self-motivated, genuinely interested in cultivating improved self-awareness, and invested in their personal wellbeing; this means (eventually) going deep, and showing up to therapy willing to get real and put in the hard work.
I can introduce you to strategies that can help you form more secure attachments to the important people in your life. This will likely mean healthier communication, less anxiety, less avoidance, and stronger relationships overall.
We can examine some of the distorted thoughts that might be causing you distress, and collaborate to reframe them/spin them into more balanced, reality-based thoughts.
I can guide/support you in implementing distress tolerance, mindfulness, emotional regulation, and interpersonal effectiveness skills in your everyday life.
I have received ample training in trauma-informed care. This means that I recognize, on a deep level, the impact of your trauma, am committed to providing you with a safe, unconditionally supportive environment, and will work with you -- at your pace -- to help you rediscover/reconnect with your personal power.