About Me

“The very first step, and perhaps the hardest, is developing an unconditional friendship with oneself.” -Pema Chodron

I know what it’s like to suffer with chronic worry, rumination, and a harsh inner critic. Fear and doubt can grow so strong and pervasive that our worlds become smaller and smaller, robbing us of faith in our ability to overcome the obstacles standing in the way of the life we want. Forgetting our strengths and discounting our power to change, we can become paralyzed to step into the unknown and get back into the driver’s seat of our lives. This is where therapy can help.

It was my own healing journey–and the profound changes I experienced in my life as a result–that inspired me to become a therapist and help others in their struggle. The bravery and commitment to growth that I witness in my clients every day inspires and sustains me in this work.

Professional Experience

I am a registered Associate Marriage and Family Therapist (#136848), supervised by Kim Cox, LMFT (#115817). My area of specialty is in helping teens, families, parents, and adults navigate challenges related to anxiety, self-esteem, relationships, perfectionism, people-pleasing, and developmental challenges. One of my primary specialties here at Straight Up is working with teens and adults that struggle with social anxiety (fear of rejection, judgement, and failure). I lead a teen anxiety group that is geared toward helping teens with social anxiety learn the tools and skills that increase self-acceptance and cope with imperfection.

I have worked with a diverse client population and trained in body-based techniques to regulate the nervous system from chronic stress and anxiety. Prior to my work as a therapist, I was an actor and acting coach for two decades, so I naturally bring that lived experience and empathy for teens and adults pursuing creative and courageous life paths.

“An important goal in my work is to help people connect with their inner strength and resilience. Anxiety often overestimates negative outcomes and underestimates our ability to cope with them.”

I believe that every person possesses a great well of inner strength, wisdom, and resourcefulness. After all, it’s what’s enabled you to make it this far in life and persevere even through the toughest times. For many different reasons however, sometimes we just get stuck. Coping strategies that we relied on in the past fail to work today, and worse, start to create new problems for us. We become trapped in a prison of our own making, and in the depths of our struggle we can sadly lose touch with our values, our sense of identity, and the things that bring us joy in life.

Whatever brings you to therapy now, I’m passionate about empowering you to get “un-stuck.” I use a variety of evidenced based techniques like Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Psychodynamic Therapy, and Emotion Focused Therapy to help clients tap into their inner wisdom and courage to stand up to fear, to better understand and accept themselves, and to reconnect with their authentic sense of purpose.

I am here to help you (or your child) overcome anxiety and start living with more confidence, strength, and emotional freedom!