Book a therapist or psychiatrist in Merrillville, IN covered by Cigna

I have been a MSSW since 1998 with a host of experience with children, adults, geriatrics, and families. I also have two other graduate degrees and real-life experiences that contribute to my value as a therapist. I love to help others overcome challenges and blossom into the best version of themselves!

When emotional challenges begin affecting your relationships, confidence, or daily life, it can be difficult to know where to start. You may be feeling overwhelmed by anxiety, depression, stress, or the impact of difficult experiences. For children and adolescents, these struggles may show up through behavioral changes, emotional outbursts, school difficulties, or challenges connecting with others. Therapy offers a supportive space to better understand what is happening beneath the surface and begin creating meaningful change.

I am a compassionate, open-minded therapist who values direct communication and builds genuine connections through honesty. I work effectively with teens and adults navigating identity, life transitions, anxiety, depression, and trauma.

My calling as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker allows me to partner with clients in their places of greatest need, with a focus on complex post-traumatic stress. I employ a combination of talk, somatic and non-verbal eye movement based therapies. We will do deep trauma work while still making room for safety, warmth, and even a little playfulness. Because healing doesn’t have to happen in cold, serious rooms. Sometimes it happens barefoot, holding a fidget, with a sloth nearby and someone beside you who truly sees you.

I’ve been working in the mental health field since earning my Masters of Science in Social Work degree with a specialization in Alcohol and Drug Counseling from the University of Louisville in 2011. Over the years, I’ve worked in both inpatient and outpatient settings, supporting adults through challenges with mental health and substance use. Those experiences have given me the privilege of walking alongside people in some of the hardest and most transformative moments of their lives.

I believe that mental health is an important part of overall health and happiness. Each person has the ability to commit to and foster positive change in their lives. I always strive to work with each client as an individual, fostering their strengths and building healthy coping skills, insight, and empowering courage for change. I am passionate about women's health and issues. I am certified in Perinatal Mental Health (PMH-C) through Postpartum Support International.

I have extensive experience in working with families, children, adolescents, and adults who have experienced various forms of trauma, both acute and chronic, as well as grief and loss, stress and anxiety, as well as other behavioral health issues.

I’m a psychiatric nurse practitioner with a focus on practical, relationship-based mental health care. I specialize in medication management for conditions like depression, anxiety, ADHD, and stress-related challenges, especially for working professionals and first responders. My approach is straightforward and collaborative. I take time to understand what’s actually going on and build a plan that fits your life. With an integrative mindset. I see medication and talk therapy as tools in a tool chest of mental wellness.

I believe that therapy is a space that belongs to you and is nurtured by your therapist for you. Through this healing environment, I give you the tools to change self-defeating behaviors.

With nearly 10 years of experience providing therapy, I believe meaningful change happens when you feel both deeply understood and gently challenged. My style is warm, human, and occasionally sprinkled with humor- because therapy doesn't have to feel cold, clinical, or intimidating to be effective.

I specialize in working with OCD and anxiety, helping clients understand intrusive thoughts, compulsions, and the anxiety cycles that keep them going. Together, we focus on building tolerance for uncertainty, reducing compulsive behaviors, and increasing emotional flexibility.

I also have specialized training and experience in EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing), and evidence-based therapy approach that helps people process trauma, reduce emotional intensity, and shift long-standing beliefs that no longer serve them.

In addition, I work with individuals navigating major life changes, including high-conflict divorce and the painful realities of parental alienation. These experiences can be isolating, overwhelming, and deeply destabilizing. My approach centers on helping clients regain a sense of grounding, clarity, and agency, while learning practical tools to cope with ongoing stress, grief, and complex family dynamics.