I am passionate about the art and science of psychotherapy to alleviate suffering in our lives.
MY MISSION
My mission is to support you in creating
a life in which you thrive.
Central to my approach is my lifetime reverence for the astounding diversity in our natural world. As a passionate gardener and plant collector I live in awe of nature's breathtaking variations. As I’m driven to understand and create optimal environments for the wide range of plants I cultivate, I understand that humans need the same care and attention in addressing their unique and varied needs in order to flourish.
​
I practice therapy from an evolutionary psychology and neurodiversity paradigm perspective. This means that I help clients accept that many of our innate needs for security, purpose, challenge, intimacy and connection are hardwired into our brains and must be attended to. In addition, we are all born with unique gifts, sensitivities and preferences which require equal attention. As a plant withers under the wrong care, many mental health symptoms arise from an imbalance between our personal needs and our current environment or situation.
​
For many of us “normal” can be an oppressive goal and we experience renewed vitality when we embrace our authentic nature. Just as there is no superior race, ethnicity or sexuality, there is no inferior or superior cognitive style. There are, however, very real challenges to living with invisible disabilities and non-normative identities. This is why access to specialized counseling is so important.
​
I believe in Nick Walker’s Golden Rule of Neurodiversity: Respect the bodily, sensory, and cognitive needs of others as you would want your own to be respected, whether or not you understand the reasons for those needs. As a therapeutic mentor I defer to the lived experiences, preferences and problem solving abilities of my clients.
MY STORY
I was a quirky, dyslexic, ADHD, sensory challenged, highly disorganized kid who struggled in school and loved the arts, nature and moving my body. At times I felt things so deeply that it was overwhelming and I learned things so slowly that it was humiliating and exhausting. It was through the support and persistent efforts of my family, teachers, mentors and friends that I was able to slowly build the executive functioning, academic skills and self-awareness necessary to reach my goals.
​
I began my professional career as a college skills tutor and residential dean in 2000 at Landmark College, the premier college for students who learn differently. After graduating in 2007 with a MA in Counseling Psychology from Antioch University I worked for seven years in the counseling services department at The University of North Carolina School of the Arts. I then moved to southern Vermont with my family where I coordinated counseling services at The Putney School for over seven years. I have been happily working with quirky and artistic students throughout my career and have been working in private practice since 2021. At present I work two days a week providing counseling services to graduate students enrolled at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. I am also accepting new clients into my practice.
​
While I have overcome many of my early challenges I am reminded daily that I am still an ADHDer who experiences the world differently and sometimes needs to ask for help. I understand first hand that we all feel whole when we can give expression to our gifts and receive accurate understanding and support in areas in which we struggle. Because so many of us come alive when we engage our passions (and healthy obsessions!) many of us have come to call our special interests, honed over time, our superpowers. Due to my personal interests and the positive support and training that have benefited me, I now proudly acknowledge that helping people reach their goals is one of my own special superpowers!
​
I would be honored to serve as a partner in healing to anyone seeking to clear confusion and claim their superpowers.
“Because true belonging only happens when we present our authentic, imperfect selves to the world, our sense of belonging can never be greater
than our level of self-acceptance.”