(she/her)
New to Grow
“As human beings, our job in life is to help people realize how rare and valuable each one of us really is, that each of us has something that no one else has—or ever will have—something inside that is unique to all time. It’s our job to encourage each other to discover that uniqueness and to provide ways of developing its expression.” —Fred Rogers Not to steal from Mr. Rogers, but that is what I love about therapy--the uniqueness of each individual that I meet and the opportunity to collaborate with them to move forward in life with the resources needed for self-healing and an increased awareness of their own value, relationship building skills, and confidence in their ability to handle and resolve conflict in its many forms. I am a relational, somatic, harm reductionist practitioner. I believe therapy looks different for each person, and taking the time to figure out what that looks like together is a meaningful part of our work in itself. I am not afraid to challenge you, but I will also be a safe place for you to land--I'll make you a cup of tea or join you in throwing things at my wall. I celebrate whimsy and I honor deep internal rage, because life is a spectrum, and healing doesn't happen in a linear or organized way most of the time. We're all enigmas, and isn't that the most fascinating and wonderful thing! We all deserve someone who will take the time to learn who we are; I hope you'll grant me the honor of allowing me to know you.
Our first session is an opportunity to get to know one another and for me to learn what motivated you to seek therapy. The pacing depends on you and your level of comfort. I am not the type of therapist who shies away from personal questions. You have a right to want to know about the person you're considering sharing your vulnerabilities with. In the same vein, I like to learn about you beyond just what brought you into the room to seek therapy. I have a set of questions I like to go over with the new people in my practice to learn more about who you are, the various roles and identities you bring to the room with you, and your experiences (if any) with therapy in the past. I also like to set our expectations together. It's important to me to understand your goals, what you want (and don't want) from me. I also like to establish communication expectations--YOU are the expert on your life and it is essential that we establish a system that you will feel comfortable using to challenge me if you ever feel misunderstood or if you are concerned that the direction of therapy isn't working for you. I am the least likely to be offended person, EVER. So, I want to ensure you feel comfortable speaking your mind and leaving any societal taboos at the door.
I am fortunate to have had a diverse array of work experiences in public education as an alternative high school teacher, six years in community organizing, and several years in clinical case management in supportive housing. I also grew up in a family of veterans and first responders, and I have two amazingly creative neurodivergent children. My life and the incredible people in it have taught me so much, and I LOVE learning! I read constantly, and I encourage my clients to give ME homework (don't worry; you'll get some, too)! Having spent years supporting others in meeting their basic needs, I have a variety of practical resources to bring to the table along with more therapeutic tools. I think outside of the box, and I love to laugh. I can appreciate dark humor, and I'm not ruffled by a challenge. For advanced certifications: I am a yoga instructor and I have a certificate in military social work practice.
If you've questioned therapy or had a bad experience in the past, I would love to meet you. If you're overwhelmed or don't know how you'll be able to trust someone with your must personal challenges, I am so glad you've gotten this far and are willing to try. In our work together, I want you to be YOU in the room—you never have to perform for me. You are never going to be “too much,” and I’m not afraid of big emotions, including rage. I might look like a Kindergarten teacher, but don’t let that fool you! I am a staunch harm reductionist and human rights advocate, and your safety and right to live your life on your terms matter to me tremendously. My goal is always to be queer-affirming, anti-racist, and decolonizing; with that said, I am always learning, and if I make a mistake, please know it is not with intent to harm, and I would be honored and grateful if you would call me out on it and give me the opportunity to make amends and learn. My ideal client is someone with a healthy dose of skepticism, a good sense of humor--extra points for sarcasm--and a willingness to try something even if you have doubts. Therapy with me looks like bringing all of the pieces of you into focus and working together to connect them to a path forward that feels right. We may bring in movement, mindfulness, games, creativity, meditation…maybe even pelting things at the wall? Who knows, but we’ll figure it out together; your feedback and your feelings will always be welcome. I'd love to meet you; I bet you're amazing, and I would love the chance to work alongside you toward improving your quality of life.
Other specialties
I identify as
Relational
Humans are relational beings from birth, my practice is warm, affirming, and understanding that connection is key to healing.
Somatic
As a certified trauma-informed yoga instructor and somatic clinician, we will work with both "bottom up" AND "top down" processing to integrate what the brain is communicating through its vast avenues in our bodies.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Although I do not employ IFS in the very direct clinical application, we will examine the various parts of your identity and how they are working together to keep you safe based on your history of survival and what your brain has learned as survival strategies. We will allow different parts of you to emerge and work with them to integrate them into the whole of your being so you can understand your reactions more clearly and operate with more mindful awareness.
Couples Counseling
I incorporate methods from Gottman, Pact, and IFS to bring experiential exercises and opportunities for deeper connection and repair to my relationship counseling. ENM supportive and kink-aware.
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
Finding peace and acceptance through mindfulness has its place as part of therapy and the human experience in general. I incorporate ACT as well as elements of Buddhist psychology into my practice.