Introduction
In addition to being a therapist, I am a person! I live with my partner (a fellow social worker) and our elderly rescue dog, Dottie. I grew up on the East Coast before landing in Michigan. I am a lover of animals, starting new creative projects on a whim, and thrift shopping.
Experience
I earned my MSW from the University of Michigan. I have experience in clinical psychology / neuroscience research at the Universities of Yale, Emory, and Brown. I have worked in outpatient, inpatient, nonprofit, and “club house” / mutual aid settings. I am certified in suicide risk assessment & management, psychological first aid, trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TFCBT), and cognitive assessment (MoCA).
My Therapeutic Approach
My approach to therapy is: comprehensive, evidence-based, individualized, collaborative, and flexible.
I use a number of research-supported modalities in my practice and I do not believe in a one-size-fits-all therapeutic approach. I commit to working with you in a collaborative manner to address your therapeutic goals, which means:
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Comprehensive assessment of your individual situation
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Communication about what works and what doesn’t
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Intentional trial and error – applying research strategies and checking for results
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Gathering and applying data from your own life
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Pivoting when something isn't working
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Recognizing real barriers and obstacles and working with them rather than against them
I consider myself a truly eclectic therapist – though I’m hesitant to use that word because sometimes that’s code for “talk therapy” / “supportive therapy.” I am an evidence-based eclectic therapist.
My therapeutic philosophy tends to align most with acceptance-commitment therapy (ACT), in that I encourage clients to use their own values as the compass for our work and I help clients accept what they cannot control. We work to see reality as it is and be present with it.
In combination with ACT, I also utilize exposure as a tool in therapy, which lends itself well to the work I do with trauma, anxiety, and OCD. I will often use exposure-response-prevention techniques in session and as homework assignments.
I also incorporate a lot of psychoeducation into my work. Personally? I don’t want to do what someone tells me to do if I don’t understand why I’m doing it. So, I don’t expect you to have blind faith in the process – though sometimes we might lean on a bit of faith (distinct from blind faith). Generally, I want you to understand what we’re trying and why.
I use a cognitive-behavioral framework (CBT), meaning that I base my practice off the core theory that: thoughts, behaviors, and feelings are interconnected. Don’t worry, we won’t just be going through one standardized workbook together.
Speaking of workbooks (and not going through them page by page), I also use dialectical behavior therapy (DBT) in my work. I consider myself a DBT-like therapist because I teach clients skills as they apply. Traditional DBT has a very structured, inflexible protocol, which I do not follow.
I additionally incorporate “parts” language [think Inside Out] and some somatic techniques. As I said - eclectic! I believe research and clinical care should be informed by each other
I make it a priority to build a strong working relationship based on respect, information, connection and hope. I will ensure that you are informed about my approach to supporting you with your goals, and if ever we feel that your needs fall outside my areas of expertise or scope of practice, I will communicate directly with you and make every attempt to make appropriate referrals as needed.