Individual psychotherapy for adults — in person at my Old Town Alexandria office and by telehealth throughout Virginia and Washington, DC. I work with anxiety, depression, PTSD and childhood trauma, ADHD, and addiction, drawing primarily on EMDR, Internal Family Systems, and Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT).
I see therapy as an amazing opportunity to step away from every day life to reflect and devote time to self discovery, developing insight, healing, and finding meaning.
We all live busy lives where we may focus our attention and energy on the things that need to get done.
From the outside looking in, it may seem like we have it all together.
Inside though, we may be aware that we feel stressed, depressed, afraid, confused, exhausted, dissatisfied but aren't sure why or what to do about it.
Therapy is absolutely an investment of time and money in yourself.
My hope is that you will find relief in speaking to a professional who is compassionate and non-judgmental, who listens closely to what you say, as well as what you may not explicitly express.
Someone who can serve as a guide in the process of resolving difficult experiences, developing compassion for yourself and others, and finding new ways of getting your needs met.
Life is like that. You live it forward, but understand it backward.— Abraham Verghese
The first session is a chance for you to get a sense of who I am and whether we both feel we are a good match.
If we decide to embark on therapy, we'll explore together how to approach it and what you'd like to focus on. I'll be interested in hearing about your life now and your experiences in the past.
I am genuine in sessions and highly interactive. When I'm listening, I'm often noticing what might not be getting said, or reflecting on the emotions underneath. I often use my own experiences in the moment to help.
The work is highly interactive and individualized. I like to do regular check-ins on goals and how we are pacing things to make sure we are always on the same page.
I will never push you to talk about things you're not ready to.
You know yourself better than I do, so I trust that you will let me know if/when you are ready to. I may offer some gentle nudges if I think you are ready, but I will take your lead.
How much we focus on the past will depend on what the presenting concerns are and the approach we decide to take in therapy. Each person's needs and issues are different.
In addition to my work in private practice, I have been fortunate enough to work in an outpatient behavioral health clinic with the homeless of DC for 10 years.
During this experience, I honed my skills in working with adults who experience addiction, mental health issues, and complex trauma.
I also completed my internships at NIH, NIAID working with people living with AIDS as well as working in a domestic violence shelter and advocacy group in Albany, NY.
My office is on the second floor at 510 N. Washington St., in Old Town Alexandria.
