Our Philosophy and Our Team

In collaboration with parents, we develop a more complex understanding of their child’s emotional needs. I help families provide support and balance for one another, to adapt to more challenging phases of development. I have post master’s advanced training from psychotherapy institutes in New York City and Westchester County.

I started my practice in Union Square, NY where I primarily worked with college students on living separately from their parents, establishing their own identities, building relationships and reducing stress. Upon moving my practice to Westchester county, I began speaking with parents who express great difficulty in making parenting decisions when their children develop symptoms of sadness and anxiety. Sometimes, strategies that were working during one phase of development are no longer effective. Very often, the environmental or internal demands are overwhelming children and their families, and that is when we see an overflow of behaviors and emotions. In response to the pressure that many families experience, we discuss options which include family systems therapy in the initial consultation.

Family systems therapy recognizes the family as an emotional unit in which each member’s behavior influences the others. Within every family system, negative behavioral patterns develop and there is often emotional reactivity that is not helpful. Family therapy, when appropriate, relieves a particular child/teen as being the source of the problem and each member takes part in considering their own role in this system. Families work together at discussing their roles and sometimes switch roles. They collaborate on solving problems. Sometimes, we work on one parent and child interaction at a time and sometimes I help parents recognize how they might be projecting some of their own worry or frustration onto their children.
Parents immediately start identifying behavior patterns and often report that they learn to anticipate, make adjustments and carry some tools in their back pockets, to deal with their children’s intense emotions. This helps them become more responsive than reactive to their children’s periods of dysregulation. Also, the family overall becomes more flexible and individuals can shift more easily as their children grow and change.

I often hear that children/teens feel like they develop their own voice and opinions and learn how to communicate their needs more effectively. Some say that they feel more understood, encouraged and accepted in their own lives. This greater sense of security and connection in their relationships, allows them the ability to be more confident in academics, peer relationships and pursuing areas of interest. Most importantly, as they mature, they develop the ability to ask for help when needed but also how to self regulate.

I have a BA in Liberal Arts from the University of Maryland. A Master’s Degree in Social Work from Adelphi University. Post Master’s Training at Ackerman Family Therapy Institute. Adult Psychotherapy Training at New York School for Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy. Child Psychotherapy Training at Westchester Center for the Study of Psychoanalysis and Psychotherapy.

Additional Training at:

• Theracare Early Intervention and Preschool Family Training
• Division Mt. Sinai Crisis Intervention Center
• Jewish Family and Children Services
• Youth Counseling League
• Counseling Center at Humanities and Legacy NYC Public High
• Schools Psychiatric institute of Washington Admissions Unit
• Jewish Social Service Agency of Maryland Mental Health Clinic

I strive to provide a warm, non-judgmental, and safe space, where you can understand and work through your emotions and the stressors that you face in your life.

While therapy can be hard work, I aim to work collaboratively with you, to respectfully challenge you, and to assist you on a path toward personal growth and positive change. In therapy, I also integrate mindfulness practice, and utilize a cognitive behavioral (CBT) approach with a focus on relationship building, skill instruction, and goal-directed behavioral change.

In my practice, I enjoy working with adolescents and young adults. In the past, I worked as a school psychologist in an alternative therapeutic high school. In this role, I supported adolescents with significant anxiety, mood disorders, and learning and social challenges. I also enjoy working with parents as they navigate the challenges of parenting. When working with children or adolescents, I regularly involve parents in the therapy process, providing parent training and support as needed. I have extensive experience collaborating with other professionals to address children’s and adolescent’s emotional and learning issues.

I am a trained SPACE provider (Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions). More information is available on the SPACE website. Please reach out if you would like to discuss if SPACE might be an appropriate treatment for your child or teen’s anxiety.
https://www.spacetreatment.net/

In addition, I have pursued training in perinatal mental health through Postpartum Support International, and I am passionate about supporting women on the often-challenging journey of transitioning to motherhood. I offer a small weekly support group for new moms or individual sessions.

New Moms Support Group

I graduated with Highest Honors from Emory University with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology. I then went on to Fordham University, where I received my master’s degree (M.S.E.) in Therapeutic Interventions, and my doctorate degree (Ph.D.) in School Psychology.

My approach is supported by a background in psychodynamic theory and training in Motivational Interviewing, Mindfulness Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). I draw on these select and various techniques to provide individualized and personalized treatment to my clients.

The goal of psychotherapy is to help facilitate change by developing awareness, compassion, acceptance and empathy toward yourself and others by identifying the values you want to define yourself by and to live by. My approach is the product of over a decade of experience working collaboratively with clients in an environment of non-judgement. I believe in taking an introspective and collaborative approach when working with adults and adolescents. I believe this allows the patient to develop the self-awareness needed to recognize their own ability to heal based on their own experiences and judgement.

My education includes a Masters of Arts and a Masters of Education in clinical and counseling psychology from Columbia University.

I graduated from Ateneo Xavier University with a B.S. in Communication. I have over a decade of experience in the fields of customer and technology support, training, and program management. Personally, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, reading a good book, and having thoughtful conversations over coffee and tea lattes. Please feel free to contact me with big or small requests, I enjoy making your experience as positive and seamless as possible.

I am a lifelong educator who realizes the power of mindfulness and intuitive journey work. Over years, I have honed my skills of fostering space in which people can learn and discover from within. As a member of the Center for Medicinal Mindfulness in Boulder, Colorado, my extensive training has allowed me to continue to broaden and deepen my guiding practice, becoming a credentialed psychedelic guide.

I believe in the power of trust and connection as a foundation for growth and self actualization. When given the support and safety of the container I help provide, clients have the ability to witness the patterns that do not serve them and be open to a level of compassion and acceptance that allows for profound healing.