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Areas of Specialty

Almost everyone experiences trauma at some point, big or small, a onetime event or endlessly repeated. Research increasingly indicates that trauma is at the heart of many, many mental health disorders. Hence, working through trauma can be life changing.

Experiencing some level of anxiety is perfectly normal. However, when it becomes overwhelming, it can lead to self-isolation, panic attacks, and a constant sense of tension. By choosing to address the anxiety and developing effective coping strategies, one can lead a more fulfilling life.

Addiction is often misunderstood. Many still think of it as a form of self-indulgence by someone who simply lacks willpower. In reality, is just a coping mechanism employed to numb intense emotions. When I address addiction, the focus is not only on discovering healthier ways to manage feelings; it also involves reducing the guilt that the client inevitably feels due to societal stereotypes.

Trauma

Addiction

Similar to anxiety, depression has a major impact on quality of life. And one does not have to be "clinically" depressed to be struggling. A lot of people appear to be doing well, but underneath are suffering. You do not have to live that way.

Depression

Anxiety

I've worked with clients of all ages and in many areas, including trauma, ADHD, anxiety, OCD, autism, depression, eating disorders, schizophrenia, hoarding, personality disorders, phobias, aging, and issues faced by members of the LGBTQ+ community. My areas of specialty include trauma, anxiety, depression, addiction, and working with kids and teens.

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Older Kids and Teens

Fortunately, I have been lucky to have had a lot of success with kids and teens. Parents often worry that their child will never click with a woman in her 60's. But so far, I've been lucky enough to get great reviews from all my young clients, including those who didn't want to be in therapy and those who had previous bad therapy experiences. (A few of my teens even offered to write a reference for me when I explained I was opening my own practice :-)

woman wearing red and white shirt

woman wearing red and white shirt

I love working with kids and teens. I have a lot of empathy for them because I remember what it is like: the anxiety, the wanting to fit in, the intense self-consciousness, the having to deal with hormones and all the urges that come with them, the peer pressure to take risks and engage in dangerous activities, etc., etc. Add to that the Internet and social media, and life can get very challenging.

I also have a lot of empathy for parents. I am a parent myself, and I know how difficult raising a child or teen can be. One's child often goes from sweet and loving to rebellious and extremely hurtful. In the meantime, while they tell us what a bad job we're doing and how they "hate" us, we have to figure out solutions, often to nearly impossible problems.

Parents also get blamed for a lot that is not their fault. When a child starts to struggle, people in the child's orbit tend to point to the parents. Parents play a role, but there are many very destructive influences that are out of their control: bullying, alcohol and other drugs, discrimination, the Internet and social media, to name just a few. Parents do not deserve all the blame they get.