Frequently Asked Questions

Clients often tell me that coming into session feels like a warm hug or a weight being lifted from their nervous system, in part due to my genuine care, and in part from the humor and playfulness that naturally shows up in our work together. I’m a curious, big-hearted explorer at heart, and that shows up in how I help people understand what coping skills are actually doing, and why. 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 eyes when CBT feels a little gaslighty, and my begrudging sighs when the experts (yes, me too) insist that exercise, sunlight, or other small habits actually do help—no matter how much I want to roll my eyes. I also get extremely nerdy when it comes to identifying the core values that motivate you, when my EMDR-informed lens pulls on threads of underlying beliefs and patterns woven through your life story, and when I explain what’s happening in your body and nervous system when you’re exposed to triggers or trauma—so the process of learning new ways of coping actually makes sense in your own lived experience.

Therapy with me is collaborative, reflective, and rooted in our real relationship. We slow down, get curious, and explore not just what’s happening, but what it means for you. While I draw from a variety of evidence-based approaches—Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, DBT, Schema Therapy, and EMDR, just to name a few—our work isn’t just about techniques or managing symptoms. It’s about the way we think, relate, and reflect together. Often, the most meaningful change happens in how we connect, make sense of your experiences, and try out new ways of being, right there in the room.

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 and safety develop, we’re able to create corrective experiences, particularly for the nervous system. This can include experiencing authority, power, closeness, or care in ways that feel safer or more collaborative than they may have in the past. It can also involve receiving thoughtful, caring feedback about how you come across or how your words and actions land—something many people haven’t experienced in a way that feels both honest and kind.

Many people leave therapy wondering what their therapist really thinks or feels about them. In my work, you won’t have to guess. When it’s therapeutically helpful, I’ll share my experience of you in a warm, respectful, and non-shaming way. This matters because what we do—both the parts we’re proud of and the parts we struggle with—has an impact on the people around us, and understanding that impact can be deeply clarifying and healing.

Relational therapy also makes room for accountability and repair. If I miss something, say something that doesn’t land, or inadvertently touch on something painful, we slow down and work with it together. These moments—being seen, named, and repaired in real time—often help loosen long-held assumptions about yourself, others, and the world, and open up new ways of relating both inside and outside of therapy.

I understand therapy as taking place within a broader social, cultural, and political context. Our emotional lives are shaped by the systems we live under, the policies that affect our bodies and relationships, and the messages we receive about safety, autonomy, and belonging.

In this space, clients are welcome to bring in experiences or topics that may feel politically charged, taboo, or difficult to talk about 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 agenda—it’s about making room for the emotional impact of what you’re living through.

Part of why I’ve sought licensure in multiple states is to make this kind of support accessible to clients in different political climates, so you can access therapy that honors your experience wherever you are.

I do not provide legal, medical, or procedural guidance. My role is to support your emotional and psychological process as you navigate your own values and circumstances.

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!