Challenges are a part of life; suffering doesn't have to be.

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My Approach to Therapy

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My goal in our work together is to examine the unique stressors in your life and help you develop mindful, healthy ways to live with the challenges that inevitably come up in life so that they no longer get in the way of how you want to be living. Past clients have described my approach as nonjudgmental, compassionate, and supportive.

 

In therapy with me, you can expect to:

• feel like someone else understands the difficulties in your life;

• get feedback about your role in challenging situations;

• discover different approaches to common obstacles you face;

• experience more comfort with yourself;

• and most importantly, make progress towards living with a lot less weight on your shoulders.

 

One of the most transformative experiences in my life was traveling throughout Tibet in 2001. Through this cultural immersion, I learned the basics of Buddhist philosophy, and since then I have been striving to find different ways to adapt these principles for the benefit of people in a Western society. I wrote my doctoral dissertation on themes linking mindfulness and psychotherapy. I have led many workshops teaching mindfulness principles and techniques to students, professors, therapists, administrators, physicians, and of course, individual clients.

 

To me, mindfulness means becoming more deeply aware and attuned to how you experience things in your life and relating to this internal experience with a greater sense of peace and ease. Exploring your inner experience in this way in therapy can lead to greater self-awareness, self-compassion, and living a life according to the values that are most important to you.

 

"Do you pay regular visits to yourself?"

-Rumi

Specialties

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I work with clients with a wide variety of concerns. I tailor my therapeutic approach to best fit each individual client, primarily incorporating client-centered, psychodynamic, existential, and relational theoretical orientations. I also have extensive training and experience working with the following issues:​

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• significant life transitions

• anxiety disorders

• low self-esteem / excessive self-criticism

• climate-related anxiety/grief/despair

• relationship difficulties

• existential issues

• body image/Health At Every Size

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About Me

I have been practicing therapy since 2008. I earned my Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) degree in Clinical Psychology from Loyola University Maryland and my Bachelors degree in Psychology from New York University, with minors in Music Appreciation and Math. In addition to my private practice, I am an Assistant Clinical Professor at Loyola University Maryland's Psychology Department, where I teach a course on service learning and social justice, and provide clinical supervision to psychologists-in-training. I also collaborate and volunteer with Thread and do pro bono work with the Intercultural Counseling Connection. In the past I have worked at Chase Brexton Health Services and the university counseling centers at Towson University and UMBC.