About
“There is no normal life that is free of pain. It’s the very wrestling with our problems that can be the impetus for growth.”
- Fred Rogers
My Story
I obtained my Juris Doctor degree from New York University School of Law and my Master of Arts Degree from John Jay College – City University of New York. I worked with college students from diverse backgrounds at the College of Mount Saint Vincent’s Counseling Office in Riverdale, New York, and then worked as a therapist at Sanctuary Mental Health Counseling in Staten Island, New York, where I worked with adults and young adults with a variety of presenting problems.
My experience as a mental health therapist has allowed me to discover my true passion. Since then I have worked with individuals including people grappling with recurrent depression and dysregulated emotions, parents of children with mental health issues, carers who are struggling with their daily caregiving activities, people wanting to break out of toxic relationship cycles, and more.
I also work with college-aged individuals who feel overwhelmed with the growing complexities of their lives. They are struggling to navigate different life stressors and as young adults, are going through periods of transition and adjustment. They might be working toward developing their identities and are in the process of figuring out this “whole life as an adult thing.”
I take my time to really get to know my clients and discover new ways to better help them with their healing journey, which is why I continue to take educational programs that further my knowledge as a mental health therapist. This allows me to create treatment plans that implement the latest research and therapeutic techniques and are genuinely customized to your mental health needs and goals.
My Therapeutic Approach
In our first session, I’ll start off by listening to your story. While getting to know you as an individual and hearing the reasons that you are seeking help, I will be focused on learning about your thoughts, feelings, challenges, and the influences from your past. I will be listening for patterns and the coping strategies that you have been using so that I can help you make sense of past traumas, events, emotions, and behaviors and connect them with present thinking, feelings, and the behaviors that flow from them.
Depending on your issues and your goals for our work together, I will then suggest a treatment plan. This plan might contain a combination of talk therapy, mindfulness techniques and evidenced-based practices including CBT (Cognitive Behavior Therapy), EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), and SE (Somatic Experiencing). CBT helps sort out distorted thinking and the emotions and behaviors that follow and can be helpful for many problems. For those that have experienced any type of trauma, EMDR and SE help us work with the mind-body connection to process disturbing memories and reduce the distressing symptoms associated with traumatic events.
I often educate my clients about relevant neuroscience (the brain and nervous system) during sessions. Understanding how our nervous system reacts to triggers can reduce shame and also helps you notice the changes that occur in your nervous system as you go through your day. This knowledge helps you learn how to manage the responses of your nervous system, leading to better emotional regulation. Learning about the process of neuroplasticity (how the brain can change) gives hope as it shows that the positive changes which occur during our work together can become automatic ways of responding, so the improvements which occur through our work can be lifelong.
Whether you are looking for help with reducing trauma symptoms, managing dysregulated emotions and moods, improving your relationships, or would like support in your parenting or caregiver roles, I aim to make sure that you feel safe and supported while working with me. I’m here to help you understand and improve your life!
This is a judgment-free zone, and you can share your thoughts and story with me however and whenever you want to.
Certifications and Other Trainings
- Juris Doctor, New York University School of Law
- MA with Distinction, John Jay College, City University of New York
- Internship - College of Mount Saint Vincent Counseling Office, Riverdale, New York
- Psychotherapist - Sanctuary Mental Health Counseling, Staten Island, New York
- AEDP Level One Certification - AEDP Institute
- Biology of Trauma Certificate - Trauma Healing Accelerated
- SMART - Stress Management and Resiliency Training (certification in progress) - Harvard Medical School Psychiatry Academy
- Emotions Education 101 - Hilary Jacobs Hendel
- Somatic Experiencing 1 - Somatic Experiencing International
- EMDR - Personal Transformation Institute
- Somatic Embodiment & Regulation Strategies - Linda Thai
- SPACE (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions) (in progress) - Yale Child Study Center
