Licensed to practice in Ohio and accepts 9 insurances. Specializes in Anxiety, Depression, Trauma and PTSD and 10 more.
(she/her)
New to Grow
I am a dedicated behavioral health professional with 19 years of experience working in the mental health and addiction field. Working to help guide others with their battles with anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, and addiction. Throughout my career, I have had the opportunity to support individuals from diverse backgrounds who are navigating challenges related to mental health, substance use, trauma, life transitions, relationships, and other difficult life experiences, but then working through those walls that often keep us from thriving and living our best life. My approach is compassionate, supportive, and person-centered. I believe therapy should provide a safe, nonjudgmental space where you feel comfortable being yourself, talking openly about what you are experiencing, and working toward meaningful change at a pace that feels right for you. I draw from my extensive clinical experience to help clients better understand their thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and patterns while developing practical coping skills and healthier ways of managing life's challenges. I understand that reaching out for support can sometimes feel overwhelming, and my goal is to meet you where you are while helping you identify your strengths and move toward where you want to be. Whether you are struggling with mental health concerns, substance use, trauma, stress, or simply feeling stuck, I strive to provide genuine, individualized support that helps you create a renewed sense of direction in your life.
Starting counseling for the first time can feel unfamiliar or even a little uncomfortable, and I want you to know that you do not need to come into your first session knowing exactly what to say or where to begin. My priority is to create a welcoming, comfortable, and nonjudgmental environment where we can simply start by getting to know one another. I will take time to listen to what brought you to counseling, answer questions about the therapy process, and help you identify what you would like to gain from our time together. We will move at a pace that feels comfortable for you while beginning to identify your strengths, concerns, and goals. My role is to support and guide you through the process so that, together, we can develop a direction for treatment that feels realistic, meaningful, and individualized to your needs.
One of the greatest strengths I bring to my work with clients is 19 years of experience within the mental health and addiction field, combined with a compassionate, genuine, and nonjudgmental approach to treatment. I understand that every individual comes to therapy with different experiences, challenges, strengths, and goals, which is why I believe treatment should be individualized rather than a one-size-fits-all approach. I strive to create a therapeutic environment where clients feel heard, respected, and comfortable being themselves. My approach is person-centered, strength-based, trauma-informed, and focused on meeting clients where they are while also helping them recognize patterns, develop practical coping skills, and work toward meaningful change. My experience with mental health, substance use, co-occurring concerns, trauma, and complex life circumstances allows me to look beyond symptoms and better understand the whole person. I believe in balancing compassion with accountability and helping clients recognize the strengths they already possess. My role is not to tell clients how to live their lives, but to walk alongside them as they gain greater understanding of themselves, identify barriers to their goals, build confidence, and develop healthier ways of managing life's challenges. Above all, I want clients to experience therapy as a collaborative process where they feel supported while creating positive and lasting changes that are meaningful to them.
My ideal client is someone who may be struggling with mental health concerns, substance use, trauma, life transitions, stress, or simply feeling stuck and unsure of how to move forward. I enjoy working with individuals who are looking for a supportive, nonjudgmental space where they can be themselves while gaining a better understanding of their experiences and developing practical tools for change. You do not have to have everything figured out or even know exactly where to begin—just a willingness to show up, have an open conversation, and begin exploring what a healthier and more fulfilling direction could look like for you.
I incorporate Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) practices into my work to help clients better understand and manage difficult emotions, thoughts, behaviors, and reactions. Through DBT-based interventions, I help clients develop practical skills in mindfulness, emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and interpersonal effectiveness. These skills can be especially helpful for individuals who feel overwhelmed by their emotions, struggle with impulsive reactions, experience difficulties within relationships, or find it challenging to cope effectively during stressful situations. My approach focuses on helping clients find a balance between accepting where they are today and recognizing the changes they would like to make. Together, we identify emotional triggers and behavioral patterns, practice healthier ways of responding to difficult situations, and develop coping strategies that can be used in everyday life. I strive to make DBT skills practical and relatable so clients can apply what we discuss in session to real-world situations, strengthen their relationships, manage emotions more effectively, and feel more confident navigating life's challenges.
I integrate Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) into my work to help clients develop a healthier relationship with difficult thoughts, emotions, and life experiences rather than feeling as though they must constantly fight against or avoid them. Through ACT-based interventions, I help clients practice mindfulness, increase self-awareness, identify personal values, and recognize thought or behavioral patterns that may be keeping them from moving toward the life they want. A meaningful part of this approach is helping clients understand that experiencing uncomfortable thoughts or emotions does not mean those experiences have to control their choices. Together, we work on increasing psychological flexibility—the ability to acknowledge difficult internal experiences while still making intentional decisions that align with what matters most to you. I use ACT to help clients clarify their values, develop greater self-compassion and acceptance, and take realistic, meaningful steps toward their personal goals. My focus is not simply on reducing symptoms, but on helping clients build the confidence and skills needed to live a more purposeful and fulfilling life, even when challenges are present.
I integrate Mindfulness-Based Therapy into my work to help clients become more aware of their thoughts, emotions, physical sensations, and reactions while learning how to experience them without immediate judgment. Many of us can become caught up in worries about the future, experiences from the past, or automatic reactions to stressful situations. Mindfulness helps create an opportunity to slow down, become more present, and recognize what is happening internally before deciding how to respond. In our work together, I may incorporate grounding techniques, breathing exercises, present-moment awareness, guided mindfulness, and strategies for recognizing emotional and physical responses to stress. I help clients learn how to observe difficult thoughts and emotions without allowing them to automatically control their behaviors or decisions. These practices can be especially beneficial for managing stress, anxiety, emotional overwhelm, negative thought patterns, and difficulty regulating emotions. My goal is to make mindfulness practical and realistic for everyday life. Rather than expecting clients to eliminate uncomfortable thoughts or feelings, I help them develop greater awareness, self-compassion, and the ability to respond to difficult experiences more intentionally. Over time, these skills can help clients feel more grounded, improve emotional regulation, and develop healthier ways of navigating life's daily challenges.
I integrate Trauma-Informed Care into my work by recognizing that past experiences can have a lasting impact on how we think, feel, respond to stress, build relationships, and view ourselves and the world around us. My approach focuses on creating a therapeutic environment where clients feel safe, respected, heard, and in control of their own healing process. I understand that trauma can look different for every person, and I do not believe clients should feel pressured to discuss experiences before they feel ready. Together, we may explore how past experiences are connected to current emotions, behaviors, relationships, triggers, or coping patterns while developing healthier and safer ways of managing difficult responses. I focus on helping clients build emotional awareness, strengthen coping and grounding skills, recognize their personal strengths, and develop a greater sense of control and confidence in their lives. Most importantly, I approach trauma work with compassion, patience, collaboration, and respect for each client's individual experiences and boundaries. My goal is not to define someone by what has happened to them, but to help them understand how their experiences may have affected them while supporting their ability to heal, build resilience, and move forward in a way that feels meaningful to them.
I incorporate principles of Prolonged Exposure (PE) Therapy when appropriate to help clients who are experiencing ongoing difficulties related to trauma, including avoidance, fear, anxiety, distressing memories, and reminders of traumatic experiences. Trauma can sometimes lead individuals to avoid certain thoughts, feelings, situations, places, or activities because they have become associated with fear or distress. While avoidance may provide temporary relief, over time it can interfere with relationships, daily functioning, and the ability to move forward. When using exposure-based interventions, I take a collaborative, structured, and gradual approach. Together, we work to better understand trauma-related reactions, identify patterns of avoidance, develop skills for managing distress, and gradually approach safe situations, memories, or reminders that have become difficult to face. The process is completed at an appropriate pace and with ongoing attention to the client's readiness, safety, and treatment goals. My goal is to help clients learn that trauma-related thoughts, emotions, and reminders can be experienced and managed without allowing fear and avoidance to control their lives. Over time, this work can help reduce trauma-related distress, increase confidence, strengthen coping abilities, and support clients in reconnecting with meaningful activities, relationships, and areas of life that may have been affected by their traumatic experiences.