I approach therapy through the “narrative therapy” tradition. As the name implies, this means that I approach therapy by paying attention to the big stories and ideas that shape how we understand ourselves and our worlds. I find that it can be helpful to expose the ways in which societal and cultural expectations often work together to fuel problems or make us feel like we are falling short. This means that I bring curiosity not only to your individual thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, but also to the larger cultural practices, family contexts, social structures, religious rituals, etc. that may be interfering with your hopes for your life.

In addition to my narrative therapy work, I have experience leading mindfulness therapy groups and exploring themes of mindfulness, contemplative prayer, and present-moment awareness in therapy.

My narrative therapy and mindfulness training have shaped the following tenets of my practice:

• I believe that people are not defined by their problems. Just because people are dealing with problems doesn’t mean they are a problem. I want to help you feel empowered to navigate the difficulties of life by strengthening your most treasured abilities and relationships, reconnecting with the moments when you are the best version(s) of yourself

• I operate collaboratively rather than hierarchically. My focus is on helping you to articulate and develop your own abilities, wisdom, hopes, and values. I never practice with an assumption that I have the right answers or ideas about how you should live your life

• In this collaborative spirit, I am committed to learning from you how I can help you feel understood, empowered, respected, and at peace

• I am mindful of the ways that power and social location influence relationships, including the therapeutic relationship. This means that I try to check in with you and to stay accountable to the effects that my words and actions are having on you throughout our relationship

• For those who are interested, I also bring mindfulness to the experience of one’s body throughout the session, exploring the ways that various ideas, stories, attitudes, emotions, and practices can help or hinder your ability to be present from moment to moment

• I understand how important it can be for some people to connect with a framework for discovering meaning and purpose in life, including religious and spiritual frameworks

• I have seen how pain, trauma, and broken relationships can have devastating and life-altering consequences. My goal is to provide a healing relationship characterized by curiosity, compassion, and non-judgment that can help you bring a sense of restoration and empowerment into your life

• I know that some people find mental health diagnoses or psychiatric labels helpful. Giving problems a name is often a useful step in reclaiming your life from them. If this applies to you, then you can expect me to honor the value that you place on this way of understanding your life and to be curious about the ways in which this label resonates with you

• I also know that some people feel like the labels applied to them by professionals are constricting, pathologizing, or diminishing. If this resonates with you, then you can expect me to bring my curiosity to the negative impact of these labels and to honor your own preferred ways of understanding your experience. I believe that our lives shouldn’t be defined solely by professionals and that each person should have a voice in making sense of their own life

In my work thus far, my clients have often felt a sense of separation or space open up between themselves and their problems. I have helped people feel “known” for who they want to be in life, separate and apart from the influence of depression, anxiety, failure, addiction, conflict, hardship, etc. This gives them more room to explore the forgotten or not-yet-developed stories of their hopes, passions, values, and purposes, which can contribute to a feeling of empowerment in facing whatever difficult experiences brought them to therapy.

As an undergraduate, I studied both psychology and theology. After spending a year as a volunteer living in an intentional community, I went to Boston College, where I earned a Masters of Social Work and a Masters of Arts in Theology and Ministry. After working for several years in a variety of settings under different clinical supervisors, I earned my Massachusetts Independent License. I have worked well with people across the spectrum of religious identities, including those who do not identify as religious or spiritual. My background, however, allows me to "speak the language" of faith and spirituality, if these are important to you.

Though continuing education is a requirement for social workers, I have consistently invested in my professional development beyond the level of what was required. Some of my most important post-graduate training experiences have been 1) motivational interviewing trainings at The Center for Human Development 2) peer mental health trainings with The Western Massachusetts Wildflower Alliance, 3) mindfulness groups at The Center for Human Development, and 4) A year-long, intensive certificate in Narrative Therapy through the Narrative Therapy Initiative. 

In 2021, I completed a second, year-long Narrative Therapy intensive through the Evanston Family Therapy Center.

My earliest experiences providing therapy were in Boston. I offered counseling and therapeutic support to teens and adults at Cristo Rey Boston in Dorchester, St. Stephen's afterschool program in the South End, and Trinity Boston Counseling Center in Copley Square. After I completed my social work education, I moved to Cambridge and started doing residential therapy for children and teens at a facility south of Boston. Quickly, however, life took me to Northampton, MA, where I spent five wonderful years working in the Pioneer Valley and North Quabbin regions, providing outpatient therapy for children, adolescents, adults, couples, and families.

In the fall of 2022, life intervened again, and I moved with my family to the Scranton, Pennsylvania area. Because mental health licensing laws follow the client and not the therapist, I am still permitted to work with clients in Massachusetts. I have also procured my PA and CA licenses. Strangely, and unfortunately, I am not allowed to work with clients outside of Massachusetts (and now PA and CA), despite the fact that I am located outside the state myself. However, after many years in Boston and in the Pioneer Valley, I am well acquainted with the geography and mental health resources of these areas, and I continue to stay updated through local friends and colleagues. So, wherever in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, or California you are located, I am looking forward to meeting with you from the Electric City!