My personal history:

I initially set out to college as a theater major, with every intention to spend my days and nights living and breathing the arts. I was really into acting, singing, writing, AND directing. After starting college, I decided I wanted a more stable career with a schedule that would allow me to start a family. So I switched on over to education and FELL IN LOVE with working in early childhood.

I went on to participate in a co-dependent relationship dynamic that eventually led to me seeking out my own therapy! I started therapy to process issues in my relationship only to find out that the REAL issues were my mommy-issues and daddy-issues!

I was intrigued, I was inspired, and I knew I wanted to get to know each human I worked with on a DEEP, individual level. That’s when I turned to counseling. Honestly though, had I taken that last geology class when I’d started college rather than during my last semester, I might be a geologist today instead!

My passion is in working with other anxious women with childhood stress and trauma as well as with ambitious, but overwhelmed teens. I know firsthand what it’s like to be driven into patterns of over-thinking and people pleasing as a result of life challenges. I know firsthand what it’s like to have trouble with decision making, self doubt, insecurity and the desire to make the best and “right” choices. I know what it’s like to have panic attacks, to roll around sobbing on the floor and to have toddler tantrums as a full grown woman. And I know how it feels to heal those parts of you… powerful.

Specialized training

I have specialized training in childhood trauma and the impact of trauma on anxiety development and relationship dynamics. I am both trained in Child Parent Psychotherapy (CPP) as well as Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT). CPP is a therapeutic modality that addresses the parent child dyad and supports the dyad in healing the relationship after trauma. PCIT is a therapeutic modality that focuses on behavior training through relationship enhancement between parent and child. While initially my passion was in working with young children between the ages of 0-7, my passion now is in supporting adult women with childhood trauma in overcoming anxiety through re-parenting work. I integrate my knowledge from CPP and from PCIT to support clients in re-parenting themselves through painful emotions.

I am 200 hour yoga teacher trained and have had a passion for yoga since I was 18 years old and took my first Hatha Yoga course. I grew up with heightened existential awareness and suffered immensely from the fear of my own mortality. Through yoga, I was able to cope with my fears so successfully, that for years, I was convinced that the fear disappeared entirely (it didn’t). However, yogic practices always allow me to release the fear over and over again each time it resurfaces (remember- feelings are fleeting).

My experience studying theater and acting also makes me especially attuned to emotion+ body language and makes me creative in how I treat your issues. This attunement helps me pinpoint physical reactions you might not even be aware of as we process through your own trauma and anxiety. I utilize this attunement and awareness to highlight somatic experiences and to help you transform tension or anxiety into feelings of power and calm. I also utilize creative techniques from my experience in theater, like visualizations and artistic processing (including the use of movement) with clients that are drawn to these types of activities. If this sounds like a therapeutic experience you’d like to have, contact me to schedule your free intro call today.