Great to meet you!
I was born and raised in WNY (always home) and was fortunate enough to receive my education and training primarily in the West, as in the western area of the USA. As an undergraduate at Arizona State, I baked in the desert and began my work with adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. Eventually I continued my education in "the most beautiful city on Earth," according to the news anchors, at San Francisco State, where I learned to be a psychotherapist. It was a rigorous program; our professors were relentless about dissecting ourselves, asking the hard questions, and exploring it all, the good, the bad, and the ugly. Of course they did. Isn't that what we expected of our clients; to learn all about themselves, question and even change some longstanding thoughts and behaviors, and move toward a more informed, secure, and healthy understanding of themselves and others? It's tough, I know.
I graduated in 2000 (I know, that was a long time ago). It's there I began my work in domestic violence and gained experience in treating alcohol and substance use disorders. 9/11 brought me home; to family and eventually to two amazing sons with my best friend.
Over the years I had the opportunity to be a social worker, job coach, parenting coach, parenting supervisor, behavior intervention specialist, and more. Eventually, I understood my calling and returned to clinical counseling and psychotherapy about 2016. I earned my license as a Marriage and Family Therapist in 2024.
I present an eclectic approach to providing treatment to my clients; I am flexible, open minded, and of course, always open to feedback. Many of my interventions are borrowed from CBT, DBT, Family Systems, Rogerian, and other modalities. I have a great interest in Somatic therapies and the role of the nervous system in emotional regulation.
I serve individuals 13 years and older, couples, families; those brave enough to ask for help and receive it.