Welcome! My priority is to create a trauma-informed, LGBTQ+ affirming, culturally responsive space for you to heal and grow. I provide a mindfulness, attachment, and compassion-based approach that makes space for all parts of you-thoughts, emotions, body, relationships, cultural experience, and inner wisdom. This kind of work focuses on tapping into and expanding your unique resources-things that allow you to experience moments of resilience, connection, presence, openness, joy, creativity, and love while also attending to and transforming emotional burdens such as trauma, difficult relational patterns, old beliefs about ourselves, and others, and discomfort/pain in the body. I’d love to connect with you to answer any questions you have for me to support you in your process of finding the right therapist for you.
My Background
The wisdom of both contemporary psychotherapy and meditative traditions have inspired my professional path. Through the integration of my diverse clinical experience, I provide an individualized, holistic approach to therapy based on the unique needs of each client.
I completed my undergraduate degree at Boston College where I studied psychology, meditative practices, and the world's spiritual traditions. I pursued my PhD in counseling psychology at Fordham University and worked as a staff psychologist at Fordham's college counseling center where I trained in relational psychodynamic therapy and gained a deep respect for this perspective which is at the heart of the therapy I provide.
I completed my predoctoral internship and later returned to become a staff psychologist at the VA Healthcare System where I served veterans and specialized in the treatment of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). I'm trained in short-term cognitive behavioral treatment for PTSD, obtained a certification in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), and find these approaches to be extremely helpful for some individuals.
I've spent many years training in yoga and mindfulness meditation and received a Certificate in Mindfulness-Based Contemplative Psychotherapy in 2013 from the Nalanda Institute in New York City after finishing an extensive training program which integrated mindfulness meditation and systems of Buddhist Psychology with contemporary psychotherapy, neuroscience, and health psychology. Through this program, I had the privilege of learning from experts in the field, such as Rick Hanson, Dan Seigel, Mark Epstein, Sharon Salzberg, and Robert Thurman. I have experienced personally and professionally the profound effect mindfulness philosophy and practice can have on personal growth and transformation.
In 2016 and 2023, I completed in-depth trainings in the Internal Family Systems (IFS) model of psychotherapy (Level 1 & 2), an experiential approach that creates more balance and connection between the various aspects of the self. One aspect of it includes understanding how our symptoms, behaviors or parts of us are attempting to protect us in some way and learning to relate to these aspects of the self in a new way. The compassionate, mindful and powerful nature of this therapy makes it one of the most deeply healing models I've encountered.
I have advanced training in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) for couples (2018). This approach helps couples to understand and change their problematic patterns and creates more safety, trust, understanding, and connection in the relationship.
I am currently an advanced level student in Somatic Experiencing (SE). This approach focuses on how trauma and other emotional difficulties are held in the body, how we can learn more about ourselves by bringing a mindful awareness to our bodies and how the body can be be utilized to help us ground, anchor, center, settle or enliven when our nervous systems become dysregulated (overactive or shutdown). It draws on the body’s innate wisdom and helps to create more balance in the nervous system.
I am committed to continuing to pursue new learning experiences to deepen my knowledge and provide the most effective approaches to treatment.
Education:
PhD in Counseling Psychology, Fordham University
Pre-doctoral Clinical Psychology Internship, VA NJ Healthcare System
BA in Psychology, Boston College
Additional Training:
Certificate in Internal Family Systems (IFS), Level 1, Center for Self-Leadership
Certificate in Mindfulness-Based Contemplative Psychotherapy, Nalanda Institute, NYC
Certificate in Core Skills in Emotionally Focused Therapy for Couples
Certificate in Perinatal Mood Disorders, Postpartum Support International
Certificate in Advanced Perinatal Mental Health Psychotherapy Training, Postpartum Support International
Certificate in Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), VA NJ HealthCare System
200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training, Devotion Yoga, NJ
Associations:
Essex Union County Association of Psychologists (EUCAP), Membership Chair