Frequently Asked Questions

Clients often tell me that coming into session feels like a weight being lifted from their nervous system, in part because of my genuine care, and in part because humor and playfulness naturally find their way into our work. I’m a curious, big-hearted explorer at heart, and that shows up in how I help people understand not just what coping skills to use, but why they work. I take some of the cliché therapy tools and make them meaningful, grounded, and human.

I’ll be very real with you about the approaches we use. I’ll share my side-eye when CBT feels a little gaslighty, and my begrudging sigh when the experts (yes, me too) insist that exercise, sunlight, and other small habits actually do help—no matter how much I want to roll my eyes. I also get delightfully nerdy about identifying the values that drive you, exploring the underlying beliefs and patterns woven through your life story, and explaining what’s happening in your body and nervous system when trauma, stress, or triggers show up. I want the work we do to make sense in the context of your actual life—not just as something you're told to do because a therapist said so.

Therapy with me is collaborative, reflective, and rooted in a genuine human relationship. We slow down, get curious, and explore not only what’s happening, but what it means for you. While I draw from evidence-based approaches like Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, DBT, Schema Therapy, EMDR, and brain-spotting, our work isn't just about techniques or symptom management. It's about helping you understand yourself more deeply, relate to your experiences differently, and create meaningful change in the ways you think, connect, and move through the world.

Many therapeutic approaches emphasize trust and safety, and I see those as foundational to all good therapy—not something unique to just relational work.

When I describe my approach as relational, I mean that much of the healing happens through the relationship we build together. Our connection isn’t just a container for insight or skills; it becomes an active part of the work itself.

As trust develops, we have opportunities to create new experiences, particularly for the nervous system. You may find yourself experiencing authority, closeness, care, disagreement, or feedback in ways that feel safer, more collaborative, or more authentic than they have in the past. Together, we pay attention to what unfolds between us and what it might reveal about the ways you relate to yourself and others.

Many people leave therapy wondering what their therapist really thinks of them. In my work, you won’t have to guess. When it feels therapeutically useful, I’ll share my experience of you in a warm, respectful, and non-shaming way. Sometimes that means reflecting strengths you struggle to see in yourself. Other times, it means offering honest observations about how your words or actions may land with other people. Understanding our impact—both the parts we celebrate and the parts we wrestle with—can be deeply clarifying and healing.

Relational therapy also makes room for accountability and repair. If I miss something, misunderstand you, or say something that doesn’t land, we slow down and work with it together. These moments often become some of the most meaningful parts of therapy, helping loosen old assumptions about yourself, relationships, and the world, while creating new possibilities for connection both inside and outside the therapy room.

understand therapy as taking place within a broader social, cultural, and political context. Our emotional lives are shaped not only by our personal histories, but also by the systems we live within, the policies that affect our bodies and relationships, and the messages we receive about safety, autonomy, and belonging.

In this space, you're welcome to bring experiences or topics that may feel politically charged, taboo, or difficult to discuss elsewhere—including issues related to identity, reproductive decisions, bodily autonomy, family systems, or the broader social climate. Therapy here isn’t about debate, persuasion, or advancing an agenda. It’s about making room for the emotional impact of what you're living through and helping you navigate it in a way that aligns with your own values.

This perspective is part of why I've pursued licensure in multiple states. I believe people deserve access to supportive, affirming mental health care regardless of the political climate where they live.

I do not provide legal, medical, or procedural guidance. My role is to support your emotional and psychological process as you make sense of your experiences, clarify your values, and navigate the decisions that are right for you.

You might notice new ways of coping, feeling more in line with your values, or spotting patterns you hadn’t realized were running the show. EMDR work can show up in your body too—like setting boundaries without the usual guilt, or giving yourself more compassion around the limits your energy or health bring.

Clients often come back saying they hear my voice in their head—reminding them to “slow down” or “use your wise mind.”  That’s a victory!