I believe in the therapeutic relationship. The therapeutic relationship is the professional, working relationship between you (my client) and me (the therapist). Most fundamentally, I believe that therapist - client fit is the most important part of finding a therapist who can help you heal, grow, and learn about yourself. I believe that this relationship is the foundation of us figuring out together how to address the issues which led you to come to therapy. Building a strong, trusting, professional, and caring relationship with my clients when they are at a difficult place in their lives, is most fundamentally what I think I do. I want clients to know that I care about them first and foremost. We will start to build that relationship from our first meeting. I strive to be warm and supportive, but also honest and compassionate about things that could improve to make things better. I am a nerdy cheerleader for personal growth and I like to give my client's "therapeutic high fives" to celebrate new accomplishments (with COVID this occurs via tele-health platform). I believe that change is hard and I challenge/encourage clients to challenge themselves with promises of "triple therapeutic bonus points" and "therapeutic gold stars". I'm dorky and enthusiastic about growth and change, and I enjoy celebrating when folks I am working with are making changes in their lives.
I specialize in providing therapy to lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, and queer folks, as well as those questioning their sexual orientation.
I support people questioning their sexual orientation in figuring out their attractions and help them explore their fears and concerns about sharing this information with others.
I help people who cannot or choose not to "come out" in areas of their lives because it may mean loss of friends, family members, educational opportunities, and/or advancement in the workplace.
I support LGBTQIA+ folks in managing and figuring out how to manage relationships, including those who pursue different structures for romantic relationships outside of monogamy (e.g., polyamory, consensual non-monogamy).
Gender identity and Gender nonconformity
I work as a therapist with trans, non-binary, intersex, and gender non-conforming folks in affirming their authentic self, whatever that means for them.
I provide assessments and write letters for folks who need a surgical readiness evaluation to access gender affirming care as required by insurance companies or physicians. I follow the WPATH Trans Health Standards of care in providing these assessments, unless there are other requirements for your insurance company or physician. I make every effort to provide assessment services to folks who need a surgical readiness evaluation even if I am not currently taking psychotherapy clients. Please contact me if you need this service and let me know you are seeking a letter/assessment for gender affirming care.
Illness/change in health status/disability
Changes in health status, including normal changes in health that come with life transitions (e.g., aging, conception, pregnancy, postpartum, menopause).
I work with adults who have differing abilities and/or disabilities acquired at birth.
I work with adults who have newly diagnosed illness or chronic illness who are working to adjust to a new normal.
I work with caregivers, partners, children, friends, and loved ones who are coping with the newly diagnosed or chronic illness of a loved one.
I work with adults who have a chronic health condition or disability, both physical and/or psychological (e.g., MS, SCI, mild - moderate TBI, mobility impairments, sensory processing, chronic pain conditions, LD, AD/HD, Lupus, Cerebral Palsy, recurrent/treatment resistant depression, seasonal affective disorder, cyclical mood disorders including bipolar disorder II, bipolar I, hearing/vision loss).
Supporting professional & personal caregivers in the strain of caregiving (Help for the Helpers)
I am passionate about supporting professional caregivers including doctors, nurses, veterinarians, PT/OT/SLP, mental health clinicians, animal welfare workers, and personal care attendants to prevent professional burnout and help enact healthy boundaries with the health-care/animal welfare systems.
I love working with personal caregivers including parents/guardians for children with differing abilities/health conditions, adults caring for aging parents, family caregivers, and animal rescuers.
Career Counseling & Career Transitions
As a counseling psychologist, years of my professional training experience were devoted to career assessment and career counseling, and this is still work I enjoy doing, when appropriate.
Career Assessment: I can help clients to learn about themselves, their career interests, their career/personal values, their personality type, and how clients work best with others.
Career Counseling: I can help clients to apply information about themselves gathered through formal career assessment and/or through talking with clients.
