It’s completely normal to feel mixed emotions about starting therapy, including apprehension and uncertainty. I like to remind my clients that feelings of anxiety often accompany all types of changes, even the most positive and meaningful ones. I am passionate about helping people process family of origin trauma, navigate challenging interpersonal relationships, explore identity-related issues, and develop mindfulness skills to cope with burnout, anxiety, and depression. I work particularly well with clients who tend to be curious about how their upbringings have shaped them, be part of public service professions (e.g., teachers, social workers, etc.), have some “perfectionistic” or “people-pleasing” tendencies, feel “separate” or “different” from other people, and/or identify as part of the LGBTQIA+ community. I also work with children and adolescents using art and play therapy techniques!
My primary therapeutic focus is to support clients in addressing the practical (here-and-now) issues in order to dive deeper into their roots (e.g., trauma, attachment wounds, etc.). Practices that are central to my approach include identifying your values, exploring the influence of past experiences on present issues, practicing self-compassion, and finding ways to prioritize what matters most to you. I believe that forming a strong client-therapist relationship is at the heart of making change, so I am intentional about bringing my authentic self, creativity, and sense of humor to sessions.
As a therapist, I primarily integrate practices from ACT, CBT, Psychodynamic Therapy, and Person-Centered Therapy. I deeply value client feedback and discussing which interventions work best for you, whether those include free-flowing discussions, psychoeducational handouts, worksheets, somatic experiencing, or art expression. I am currently working towards PMH-C certification to support my work in women’s reproductive mental health. I am a member of multiple professional organizations, including Postpartum Support International (PSI) and the American Counseling Association (ACA), and am recognized by NBCC as a National Certified Counselor (NCC).
I graduated from Northwestern University with a master’s degree in clinical mental health counseling and had previous experience in a private practice setting before joining Wildflower. Prior to working as a therapist, I coordinated a non-profit volunteer program geared towards supporting low-income seniors and received my bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology from Grinnell College.
- IL LPC License Number: 178019020
- Supervised by: Rosemary Kelley, MS, LCPC, CADC, PMH-C
- Type 1 NPI Number: 1871223958
- Accepts: BCBS PPO and BlueChoice plans, Aetna PPO, self-pay and out of network clients
Selected Training & Affiliation
- Gottman Method Couples Therapy Level 1 Training
- Psychodynamic Therapy
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy
- Humanistic and Existential Therapies
- Expressive Arts and Play Therapy
- Perinatal Mental Health trainings
- Member of Postpartum Support International
- Member of American Counseling Association
Key Beliefs
- Each person has an inherent tendency toward change and personal growth.
- A lot of life is about learning how to struggle and focusing on the process rather than the outcome.
- “Good enough is good enough. We’re not supposed to be perfect. We’re supposed to be complete.” – Jane Fonda
More About Me
- My cat and dog both have space-themed names.
- Stuff You Should Know was the #1 podcast on my Spotify last year.
- Some of my indoor hobbies include building Legos, doing puzzles, and crushing it on the Nintendo Switch.
