Professional Stuff

I absolutely love working with people from all backgrounds and cultures. This passion for people drew me to the social work profession at an early age. In my life, social work provides the perfect avenue to affect positive change in the lives of individuals and in our world. I hold a Doctorate in Social Work (PhD) from Washington University in St. Louis and a Masters in Social Work (MSW) from New York University. I am also a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the states of Missouri and Tennessee, and I have over 15 years of clinical experience.

Before beginning my doctoral work, I worked as a therapist at St. Francis of Assisi Counseling Center in New York City, focusing on issues related to spirituality and women's empowerment. During my time in New York, I also had the privilege of working in hospice care and in cancer centers, assisting individuals and families with the process of illness, grief, and loss. These experiences helped me to understand the beauty and fragility of human life, and the importance of love and connection as central to the human experience. 

I currently run my own private counseling practice where I provide counseling to clients on a range of issues. I love offering online sessions, which provide accessibility, convenience, and ease of access to clients wherever they are in life. I am honored to accompany my clients on their journey toward transformation and wholeness. 

To see a list of publications, presentations, and to learn more about my research, please click here to see my CV.

Personal Stuff

I was born and raised in St. Louis, spent many exciting and transformative years in New York City, and I currently reside in Nashville, Tennessee with my amazing partner and adorable, aging dog. Yoga and jogging both make me feel centered and energized, and I love engaging in activities that connect the mind and body. I am an artist, and spend much of my time doing music and making pottery, which helps me to infuse creative expression into my work with clients. Culture and travel are also central to who I am, and I speak a good bit of Portuguese after working in Mozambique for a number of years.

I think it's also important to note that spirituality intrigues and fuels me. As I've grown and journeyed, my understanding of faith has morphed a million times, but this desire to keep seeking has remained ever-present. I have a daily meditation practice in the Vipassana tradition, which grounds and centers me, and I draw heavily from Buddhist Psychology.

Internal Family Systems (IFS)

IFS is an evidence-based approach to psychotherapy that is used to effectively treat depression, anxiety, and trauma while improving overall well-being. IFS practitioners believe that the mind is naturally made up of different parts, and therapeutic work focuses on understanding and balancing these parts in relationship to our core Self. Our inner parts contain valuable qualities and our core Self knows how to heal, allowing us to become integrated and whole. I have extensive training through the IFS Institute.

Mindfulness

I love incorporating mindfulness and meditation techniques into my practice. I work with clients to connect the body and breath, centering on the present moment. I am trained in Tara Brach's mindfulness techniques for psychotherapists, Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which are all mindfulness-based therapies. This training is grounded in my personal, daily meditation practice. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapies are proven to effectively treat numerous issues, including depression, anxiety, and stress.

Influences & Experience

• My practice is informed by humanistic and existential perspectives of psychotherapy, and I am influenced by the work of Carl Rogers and Irvin D. Yalom.

• I draw heavily from feminist theories.

• I have extensive experience working with people healing from religious trauma and recovering from rigid faith systems, including evangelical fundamentalism.

• I have a history of working with grief, loss, and bereavement through hospice programs and cancer centers.

• I am trained in EMDR therapy, which is a type of therapy specifically designed to treat trauma.

• Many of my clients are therapists themselves, and I love working with other social workers, psychologists, and licensed counselors.

Online Counseling

In an effort to make counseling relevant and accessible in an increasingly fast-paced world, I am excited to offer my clients online, videoconferencing sessions. Online counseling makes therapy accessible on YOUR schedule.

Online work is...