LCSW, 9 years of experience
The holidays can intensify grief in ways that catch people off guard. I’ve experienced this myself, and I support adults in North Carolina and New Jersey through virtual therapy focused on grief, loss, and major life transitions. My style is warm, steady, and rooted in compassion. As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with more than 15 years of experience, I provide compassionate and culturally responsive care for adults working through grief, trauma, and the emotional weight that life transitions can bring. My goal is to offer a grounding space where you can speak freely, feel supported, and begin making sense of what you’re carrying. My approach blends empathy with evidence-based strategies, including Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) skills, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and grief-informed practices. In our sessions, we focus on coping tools that help you manage strong emotions, reduce overwhelm, and create small moments of relief during difficult seasons. I tailor each session to your needs, your pace, and what feels most supportive for your healing. I am especially passionate about supporting Black women, Black men, Veterans, and adults of color who often hold invisible emotional burdens or face unique challenges around grief, identity, and resilience. I hold these experiences with cultural humility and deep respect for your story. Healing isn’t about “moving on.” It’s about learning to hold your experiences with more balance, clarity, and hope. Whether you’re grieving someone you love, trying to navigate an unexpected transition, or feeling emotionally weighed down, I’m here to walk alongside you with compassion and support.
In our first session, my focus is on creating a calm and supportive space where you can share what you’ve been carrying at a pace that feels comfortable for you. I’ll walk you through what therapy looks like, explain confidentiality, and invite you to talk about your goals, concerns, and hopes for our work together. Because grief and past experiences can feel overwhelming or isolating, I approach our time with empathy, cultural awareness, and respect for the complexities of your story. Many clients arrive unsure of where to start, and that is completely normal. You can expect me to listen closely, ask thoughtful questions, and help you explore both what is happening in your life now and the events that brought you to this moment. We will talk about what you need most right now, what feels hardest, and what support might look like for you. Together, we’ll begin identifying coping tools you can start using right away, whether that involves grounding skills, emotional regulation strategies, or ways to navigate difficult moments. We will also discuss what you want your healing to look like and outline a plan that feels manageable and aligned with your needs. My intention is for you to leave the first session feeling heard and understood, with a clearer sense of direction and support. Even if things feel heavy or uncertain, our work will give you a place to breathe, reflect, and take meaningful steps toward renewed strength and emotional stability.
One of my greatest strengths is creating a compassionate and culturally responsive space where clients feel supported, understood, and able to speak honestly about what they’re carrying. My approach blends evidence-based methods such as CBT, DBT skills, grief therapy, and Motivational Interviewing with a deep clinical understanding of how grief and trauma shape our emotions, relationships, and sense of self. My work is also informed by my own personal and professional experiences with grief. I understand how loss can disrupt daily life, shift identity, and create emotional waves that feel unpredictable. This perspective helps me approach each client with humility, respect, and a genuine commitment to honoring their unique story. I meet clients exactly where they are, helping them identify their strengths, build emotional resilience, and develop coping tools they can use beyond our sessions. I consider it a privilege to walk alongside people during some of their most difficult seasons, offering steady, compassionate guidance as they process pain, make meaning, and move toward healing with greater clarity and hope.
My ideal clients are adults navigating grief, loss, trauma, or major life changes who want a compassionate and culturally responsive space to process their experiences. I am especially passionate about supporting Black women and Black men, while warmly welcoming clients of all backgrounds who are carrying emotional pain that feels heavy or isolating. Many of the people I work with are mourning the death of a loved one, grieving relationships or identities that have shifted, or adjusting to significant life transitions such as relocation, caregiving, or changes in family structure. I also work with clients impacted by trauma, including Veterans and individuals navigating generational, racial, or chronic stress. My understanding of grief comes from both professional training and personal experience, and I know how overwhelming it can be when your world changes in ways you didn’t expect. My clients come ready to explore their emotions, honor what they’ve lost, and build coping skills that help them feel more grounded and supported. Together, we focus on resilience, self-compassion, and finding meaning in the chapters ahead so that healing and hope feel possible again.
I use CBT to help you notice the thoughts and patterns that make grief, stress, or anxiety feel heavier. Together, we explore what’s getting in the way of you feeling grounded and develop practical tools to shift those patterns with compassion. This approach helps reduce overwhelm, strengthen coping, and support day-to-day steadiness during difficult seasons.
I use DBT to help you build practical tools for managing strong emotions, coping with stress, and creating healthier boundaries and connections. We’ll work with skills like mindfulness, grounding, and emotion regulation—simple, meaningful strategies you can use in real life when things feel heavy or overwhelming. My aim is to help you feel supported while also gaining tools that bring steadiness, clarity, and more ease in your day-to-day life.
I am trained in EMDR and currently integrate specific elements—such as resourcing, grounding, and calm place exercises—to help clients build emotional stability, reduce distress, and strengthen their ability to cope during difficult moments. These techniques are especially supportive for clients navigating grief, trauma, or overwhelming life transitions.
I specialize in supporting adults through the profound challenges of grief and loss, whether connected to a death, a major life change, or another significant ending. This work is meaningful to me both professionally and personally, and I understand how deeply loss can affect your emotions, identity, relationships, and day-to-day life. My approach blends compassion, cultural sensitivity, and evidence-based strategies to help you process emotions, make space for what you’ve lost, and find ways to navigate life with greater steadiness and meaning. Together, we work toward resilience, connection, and a sense of hope that feels authentic to your experience.
I use Motivational Interviewing to help you explore what matters most to you and strengthen your own motivation for change. Through open-ended questions, reflection, and collaboration, we clarify your values, address any hesitation or mixed feelings, and build confidence in taking meaningful steps forward. MI is especially helpful when you’re feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or unsure of how to move through grief, stress, or major life shifts in a way that honors your needs and goals.