(he/him)
New to Grow
I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with a passion for helping individuals navigate the lasting effects of childhood wounds, anxiety, and life's most challenging transitions. My work is rooted in the belief that true healing begins when people feel genuinely heard, respected, and safe enough to be vulnerable. I bring a warm, direct, and collaborative presence to the therapeutic relationship. My approach blends evidence-based practices — including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, and self-compassion frameworks — with a deep respect for each client's cultural background, lived experience, and unique story. I don't believe in one-size-fits-all therapy. Instead, I meet clients where they are and tailor my approach to what they actually need. Much of my work centers on helping clients understand how early experiences — such as emotional neglect, conditional love, abandonment, and shame — continue to shape their thoughts, emotions, and relationships in adulthood. I also have a dedicated focus on men's mental health, providing a space where men can move beyond cultural expectations of silence and strength to reconnect with their emotional lives in meaningful ways. My background includes working with individuals recovering from addiction and those rebuilding their lives after significant hardship. These experiences have deepened my belief in human resilience and the capacity for growth at any stage of life. In our work together, I aim to help you build self-awareness, develop practical emotional regulation skills, and cultivate a healthier relationship with yourself and others. My goal is not just symptom relief — it is lasting, meaningful change that reflects who you truly are and who you are becoming.
Starting therapy is a courageous step, and I want you to feel as prepared and comfortable as possible walking into our first session together. Whether this is your first time in therapy or you are returning after some time away, knowing what to expect can make a significant difference in how settled you feel from the very beginning. Our first session is not about having the right answers or knowing exactly what to say. It is simply an opportunity for us to meet, begin building a foundation of trust, and start understanding what brought you here. There is no pressure to share everything at once. We move at your pace, and you are always in control of what you choose to explore. During our initial session, I will take time to learn about you — not just your symptoms or struggles, but you as a whole person. We will talk about what is currently on your mind, what has been weighing on you, and what prompted you to reach out for support at this particular time in your life. I will ask questions to better understand your background, your relationships, and the experiences that have shaped who you are today. We will also discuss what you are hoping to get out of therapy. What does change look like for you? What would feel different in your life if therapy was working? These conversations help us begin mapping out a direction that feels meaningful and relevant to your actual goals — not a generic treatment plan, but one built around your specific life and needs. One of the most common concerns people have before their first session is the fear of being judged. I want to be direct about this: there is nothing you can share in this room that will cause me to think less of you. My role is not to evaluate you, diagnose your character, or tell you what you should have done differently. I am here to understand you — fully and without condition. Whatever you have been through, whatever patterns you have fallen into, whatever you feel ashamed of or confused by — all of it is welcome here. Shame thrives in silence, and part of what therapy offers is a space where you no longer have to carry things alone. Many clients come to their first session unsure of where to begin. That is completely normal. You do not need to have your story organized or your thoughts sorted out before we meet. Simply showing up is enough. I will help guide the conversation, and together we will find our way into the work. You might come in feeling anxious, skeptical, emotional, or even a little nu
Every therapist brings a set of skills to the room. What truly differentiates one therapist from another, however, is not just what they know — it is how they show up, how they see people, and what they are willing to do in service of genuine healing. These are the strengths I bring to every client I work with. I Meet People Where They Are — Without Judgment. One of the most consistent things clients tell me is that they feel safe in our sessions. Not just comfortable, but genuinely safe — safe enough to say the things they have never said out loud, to admit the patterns they are ashamed of, and to be honest about the ways they have been hurting. That kind of safety does not happen by accident. It is built deliberately through consistency, empathy, and a complete absence of judgment. I have worked with people carrying decades of shame — shame about their past, their choices, their emotions, and their struggles. My role is never to confirm that shame. It is to help dismantle it. I believe that most of the patterns people are hardest on themselves for were once adaptive — they were survival strategies that made sense at some point in their lives. My job is to help clients see themselves through that lens, so that self-understanding can replace self-condemnation. Many people come to therapy with significant self-awareness. They can articulate their patterns, explain where they came from, and describe exactly how they play out in their lives. What they struggle with is translating that awareness into actual change. This is one of the most common — and most important — gaps in the therapeutic process, and it is one I pay close attention to. I do not allow insight to become a substitute for growth. When I notice that a client understands their patterns intellectually but has not yet committed to changing them, I name it directly and compassionately. I help clients move from knowing to deciding — because real change requires a decision, not just an understanding. This directness, paired with genuine care, is one of the hallmarks of how I work. No two people arrive at therapy with the same background, the same cultural context, or the same relationship to seeking help. I take this seriously. I do not apply a universal framework to every client and assume it will fit. Instead, I take time to understand the world each person comes from — the cultural expectations they were raised with, the messages they received about emotions, strength, and worthiness, and the
My specialty focuses on working with adults who are experiencing the long-term effects of childhood trauma. Many of the clients I work with struggle with issues such as abandonment wounds, rejection, low self-worth, shame, emotional neglect, and difficulty trusting others. These early experiences can also show up later in life as anxiety, depression, relationship difficulties, people-pleasing, fear of vulnerability, difficulty setting boundaries, and patterns of seeking validation from others. In therapy, we work together to understand how these early experiences may still be influencing current thoughts, emotions, and behaviors, and develop healthier ways of responding and relating to yourself and others. I also focus on men’s mental health. Many men carry emotional pain silently due to cultural expectations around strength, independence, and self-reliance. I provide a space where men can openly explore challenges such as emotional disconnection, identity struggles, relationship difficulties, stress, and the pressure to perform or provide. My goal is to help men reconnect with their emotional lives, develop healthier coping strategies, and build stronger relationships. My background also includes working with individuals recovering from addiction and those rebuilding their lives after difficult life circumstances. Because of this experience, I approach therapy with a strong belief in resilience and the human capacity for growth and healing. Together, we focus on increasing self-awareness, strengthening emotional regulation, and building practical skills that support long-term well-being and healthier relationships.
Other specialties
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Challenge distorted thoughts, then guide clients to examine and replace them with balanced, accurate thinking.
Compassion Focused
Help client's separate accountability from self-punishment, introducing the idea that accepting flaws and working to improve them are not mutually exclusive.
Motivational Interviewing
I use this when insight exists but commitment to change is absent — directly naming the gap between wanting change and deciding to do the work and exploring what's keeping the client stuck.
Positive Psychology
Replace negative inner dialogue with accurate statements — clients catch the inner critic in real time, pause, and consciously reframe with something both compassionate and truthful.
Mindfulness-Based Therapy
Grounding tools to regulate the nervous system - I introduce meditation and diaphragmatic breathing as daily practices, especially for clients with somatic anxiety symptoms, to build a consistent routine for calm and emotional regulation.