I’m passionate about helping young adults who struggle with anxiety because I was a young adult who struggled with anxiety. I understand firsthand what it’s like to have your thoughts race, overthink and analyze everything, worry about events that haven’t even happened, and doubt your capabilities. I get how debilitating anxiety can be and also understand what it’s like when people just don’t “get it”. One of the hardest things about dealing with mental health issues is feeling alone with your experience. I hope to change that narrative through my work as a therapist.
I first became interested in the mental health field to learn more about anxiety, and quite frankly, ways to understand and support myself with my own challenges. In graduate school I took a class on “Cognitive Behavioral Therapy” and for the first time I felt like I had concrete ways to manage feelings of anxiety (and depression). I learned that by challenging and changing the way I looked at things I could feel better, and then behave differently as a result. I realized I had deep rooted thought patterns that dictated how I viewed situations, and were not serving me well. I started practicing the tools I had learned and I slowly started feeling empowered, confident, and definitely less anxious.
By fusing my education and training with my personal experiences I feel I have a unique understanding and perspective to offer as a therapist. I sincerely find fulfillment in walking with others in their journeys, and sharing the tools that I’ve acquired throughout the years. I don’t expect that any of our journeys will look the same, but I want you to know you’re not alone on yours – I’m here with you.
My Style & Approach
I try my best to balance professionalism while also “keeping it real”. I often use humor and I try not to take myself too seriously. I also don’t mind if you need to curse and tell it like it is. I want you to feel comfortable to be unapologetically you! I’m certainly not perfect and there’s no way I expect you to be. I believe the best recipe for success occurs when both you and your therapist are able to be real and authentic.
In my practice I value quality therapy over the quantity of clients on my caseload. Have you ever been to see a healthcare provider and felt like you were just another number in their very long day? Did you feel like they weren’t really listening or prioritizing your care? I have and it’s awful! I decided when I opened my practice that I wanted to help change that narrative. I intentionally choose to keep my practice specialized and on the smaller side, so that my clients are receiving a present and invested therapist each time we meet. Nobody wants a miserable, burned out therapist.
I take a collaborative approach to therapy and value working as a team. I believe you are the expert in your life, and my job is to be the guide to help get you where you want to go. You will provide the goals and the hard work that therapy requires, and I will provide the support and tools to get you there.
I pull from many different counseling modalities, and tailor my approach to best meet your individual needs and goals. With that being said, I tend to use Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) interventions the most, alongside components of Acceptance & Commitment Therapy (ACT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Rational-Emotive Behavioral Therapy (REBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Person-Centered, and Solution-Focused Therapy.
My Specialties
I choose to only work with clients that I feel I’m going to be the best therapeutic match for. You wouldn’t see a general dentist for orthodontic issues would you? Or your primary care doctor to manage a chronic neurological condition? Probably not! You’d see a specialist: someone with more training and experience treating a particular issue. A therapist who chooses to specialize in treating a particular issue is typically a therapist who is passionate about this, has a higher understanding and sensitivity to your pain points, and won’t judge your experience because they “get it”.
My specialty is treating younger adults (ages 18-40) who are experiencing Anxiety, Stress, and Adjustment Issues. I enjoy working with recent college graduates, young adults, and Millennials in their late 20’s and 30’s who need help managing anxiety or navigating the stressors in their daily lives. Over the years I’ve found these are the types of clients I enjoy working with the most, tend to vibe with the best, and therefore do my best work with. The result is my clients usually end up having a lot of success with therapy, and go on to live happier and healthier lives. Win win!
Experience & Education
I’m a Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC) in New York State. I have 16 years post graduate experience counseling children, teens, and adults in individual, couple, and family therapy. Over the years I’ve been employed in numerous agency settings, and school-based mental health positions before transitioning into private practice. I’ve done it all. I now work exclusively in private practice, and love it!
I earned my Master’s Degree in Mental Health Counseling from the State University of New York at Oswego in 2008. Prior to that, I earned my Bachelor’s Degree from LeMoyne College in 2006, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Spanish. I’ve received training in many different counseling modalities including Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), to treat a wide range of issues including anxiety and depression.