About
"As a therapist, I acknowledge the power that I hold in my position and try to do what I can to use my position to empower everyone that I work with."
Why I became a therapist
I became a therapist because I have seen first person the great impact that counseling can have for people from all walks of life. I believe that emotional healing and mental health can trickle down into all areas of our lives, which means that I truly prioritize my time with clients and what it means to us both. I enjoy getting to listen and understand my clients’ worlds as we work together. As a therapist, I acknowledge the power that I hold in my position and try to do what I can to use my position to empower everyone that I work with.
Who I work with
I have experience working with adults in areas such as anxiety, depression, relationship concerns, identity, sexual assault, life transitions, and self esteem. One of my primary areas of expertise is working with members of the LGBTQ+ community in areas of positive sexual and/ or gender identity, coming out, transitioning, and relationship concerns. However, I work with people of all identities and backgrounds. I foster a therapeutic space that is identity-affirming, sex-positive, and polyamorous- and kink-friendly. I am currently open to working with teenagers, adults, and couples.
"I know that each client is coming in with their own unique strengths, even if they are not yet aware of them."
Working With Me
In our work together, I see my clients just as much as experts as I am, and I know that each client is coming in with their own unique strengths, even if they are not yet aware of them. I work primarily from an existential-humanistic lens where my clients and I work together to increase understanding and form meaning to the client’s feelings, strengths, and challenges. I also incorporate elements of Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Interpersonal Therapy (IPT), and Feminist Therapy into my practice often. I prioritize multicultural competency and diversity in my work and often encourage my clients to reflect on their own intersecting identities and cultural backgrounds.
Qualifications and trainings
- I graduated from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign with a double major B.S. in Clinical/Community Psychology and Spanish with a minor in Social Work;
- I received my M.A. in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Ball State University;
- I am a member of the American Association of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists (AASECT);
- I have completed APA’s Telehealth Best Practices 101;
- I have been trained and am an experienced facilitator of Safe Zone Ally Trainings, including experience in facilitating 4-hour trainings for general LGBTQ+ understanding as well as Transgender & Gender Diverse allyship;
I have completed Level 1 Gottman Method Couples Therapy, which is based on over 40 years of research on couples and relationships.