Be Rooted Within

I understand both personally and professionally how difficult it can be to find a really great therapeutic fit and I strive to really attune my approach and the tools that I draw upon in each session to the needs of each specific client.  I believe that therapy is a blend of science and art and I really enjoy both parts.  While there can be serious and heavy moments in therapy, I also believe therapy can and should be fun at times.  I like to laugh with my clients and really build a human-to-human therapeutic relationship with them.  I care deeply for my clients, and I truly feel so lucky to be able to do this work; I think I've got one of the very coolest and most special jobs out there. 

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Onto the technical stuff...

 

I am a licensed clinical social worker in the state of Pennsylvania. I received my bachelor's degree in psychology and my master’s degree in social work. I bring a wealth of experience in clinical practice with children, young adults, women, families and couples.  Over the past 12 years of doing this work, I've held over 12,000 hours of therapy sessions with over 250 clients.  My therapeutic approach has evolved throughout those years as I've learned so much from my clients, but at the core of my work has always been a strengths-based approach that is focused on empowering and equipping my clients with the skills needed to overcome their barriers. I work to build a strong and supportive therapeutic alliance with my clients, through which I address their emotional, developmental and mental wellbeing.  I utilize a person-first, holistic approach in which I address not only the emotional and mental well-being of my clients, but also the physical, developmental, intellectual, spiritual, social and relational needs of my clients. I have completed training in Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) as well as Childhood Traumatic Grief.  I also hold a certificate in Maternal Mental Health through Postpartum Support International.  In addition to TF-CBT, I also frequently utilize solution-focused therapy, narrative therapy, motivational interviewing and mindfulness-based stress reduction techniques. I also enjoy utilizing the expressive therapies (play, art and creative writing) with clients of all ages.  I love continuing to learn more about the practice and art of therapy and I really enjoy being a student.  As of December of 2022, I am working towards certification in EMDR, as well as a certificate in express arts therapy, both through the Institute for Creative Mindfulness.  I've also begun the application process for and am hoping to complete a Post-Master's Certificate Program in Trauma-Informed Clinical Practice through NYU's School of Social Work in 2023.    

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Prior to beginning my private practice in 2017, I provided therapy within a variety of agency contexts including providing outpatient therapy with a local community-based outpatient therapy center where I also held the roles of clinical supervisor, office manager and assistant director.  Prior to that, I also provided services with a number of agencies including therapeutic child adoption preparation services for children in foster care, providing post-adoption support and counseling to families with Chester County Children, Youth and Families, working as a therapeutic art specialist for children with emotional and behavioral challenges, working as a sensory integration specialist for children on the autism spectrum, and providing therapy for children, foster families and birth families involved in therapeutic foster care.  I also have years of experience providing academic coaching to college students with various disabilities and learning differences, through West Chester University's Office of Services for Students with Disabilities.  

 

I am also passionate about helping to shape and mold the next generation of social workers and therapists.  As such, I am grateful for the opportunity to have worked for The Graduate Department of Social Work at West Chester University to assist prospective students in finalizing their graduate education plans and envisioning their future careers in the field of social work.  I am also very grateful to have both supervised and learned from a number of amazing graduate student interns over the years.  

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And now the human stuff... 

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When I'm not working, I'm hanging at home with my family and our rescue pups Ollie and Willow.  Some of my favorite hobbies include practicing yoga, jumping on my trampoline while listening to music, hiking, exploring new nature spots and nerding out over therapy/self-help books (yes, I really do read and sometimes watch therapy for fun - Showtime's Couples Therapy is the best).  I also love memoirs and hope to write one someday.  I've enjoyed writing (with all. of. the. words. - forever working on written brevity over here) since first grade.  I think writing can be a beautiful process for seeking more full understanding of ourselves, and helping others to see, hear and understand us better too.  I also love music and remember being moved by it in a big way ever since I was very young.  I grew up playing the piano and violin and now I'm teaching myself how to play the drums.  In my most recent learnings in human school, I've learned how to enjoy the process of creating art, rather than judging the product.  I'm also passionate about homeschooling with a creative arts and child-centered approach.  With the help of some very important kiddos in my life, over the past eight years, I've embraced a more curious spirit, centering more of that lightheartedness and childlike wonder, that used to move me through the world with a literal and metaphorical magnifying lens in my hand, peering at the beautiful things in this world through an unhurried and expansive view.  My greatest teachers in this life have, hands down, been the young people in my personal world and all of those children with whom I've worked over the years.  There's so much that children get right that we need to return home to as adults.  I am and will forever be a work-in-process, learning (and sometimes unlearning) as I go.

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It would also be an immense honor to get to know you, to hold space for you, and to help you tap fully into your inner knowing.  

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