Find a therapist in Lutz, FL — covered by insurance

I believe therapy works best when clients feel safe, supported, and genuinely understood. My approach is warm, collaborative, and nonjudgmental, and I strive to create a space where clients can openly explore their thoughts, emotions, and experiences at their own pace.

I understand that reaching out for help can feel vulnerable, and I value the trust my clients place in me. I work to meet each person where they are while helping them build insight, coping skills, resilience, and confidence. I believe in balancing empathy and validation with practical tools and strategies that support meaningful and lasting change.

Clients often describe me as compassionate, approachable, calming, and easy to talk to. I utilize evidence-based approaches including CBT, DBT, mindfulness, and trauma-informed care, while tailoring treatment to each client’s individual needs and goals.

I have worked with clients from ages 3 through 80 and with individuals, couples, and families. With that breadth of experience, very little shocks or surprises me, and I am able to develop an individualized approach for each client, combining therapy modalities that play to my strengths as a counselor and that are helpful for the people I’m working with.

Three principles shape all the counseling I do:

• Counseling should be efficient. Counseling has significant costs in time and money. I think the benefits far outweigh the costs but when I can give you the benefits while helping you save on the costs I will do that. So I choose approaches to counseling (like EMDR and EFT) that generally work more quickly. That being said, I don’t want to you to feel better for three to six months and then need counseling again because we only worked on symptom relief and didn’t bring healing to the underlying causes. That doesn’t seem very efficient to me. So my goal is to provide as long-lasting and complete help as possible in as little time as possible.
• The client is always in charge. People are complex and come with years of history that I can never know all of. I know a lot of things but you will always be the one who decides what you want to get out of counseling, how we work towards that goal, whether or not what we’re doing seems to be working, and when we’re done.
• Change and health happen through relationships. The work we do in counseling will touch on how your relationships impact your health. No matter what you come in for, there are always relational implications of change and relational factors that contribute to whatever it is that you came to counseling to change. Change can only happen in counseling because of our relationship. It’s my responsibility to make our relationship a place where you feel heard and accepted.

Many of my clients look like they have it together—but inside, they feel stuck, anxious, or emotionally overwhelmed in their relationships. I help adults untangle painful patterns rooted in emotional neglect, people-pleasing, or past relationships that felt confusing or unsafe. Together, we’ll slow down, go deep, and help you get to the root of the issue.

I’m a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and founder of Roots Healing Alliance, where I help individuals and couples do deeper, meaningful healing work. I specialize in trauma, anxiety, and relationship patterns, using a mix of insight-based and body-centered approaches. My style is warm, direct, and real. You won’t get a “therapist mask,” but someone who’s genuinely in it with you. I’ll support you while also gently challenging you to grow. My goal is to help you better understand yourself and create lasting, authentic change.

I graduated with honors from National Louis University with my Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling. I received a bachelor’s degree in Special Education in 2013 from Walsh University in Ohio. I taught children with varying exceptionalities and learning differences for five years. I have over ten years of experience working with children and adults with autism, ADHD, and various learning disabilities.

I utilize interventions of various approaches to best assist my clients in accomplishing their individual goals. These approaches include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Person-Centered Therapy, Solution Focused Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Mindfulness Based Therapy, Cognitive Processing Therapy and Narrative Therapy. I am also a certified yoga teacher.

Explore the difference of in-person therapy in an uplifted, spa-like environment in St. Pete & Hyde Park.

Originally from New York, I hold a masters in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a BA in Neuroscience. I worked at the Omega Institute for Holistic Studies for thirteen years alongside world-class health and wellness experts, which brings depth to my work as a psychotherapist. I studied Buddhism and have practiced yoga and meditation for over 20 years. Clients describe me calm, warm and resourceful. Client testimonials can be found on my website.