Biography

If someone waved a magic wand and all your problems disappeared, what would your life look like? What would you start doing—or finally stop doing? You don’t have to hide the fact that you’re human. You don’t have to pretend you don’t struggle. We all have patterns that can keep us stuck—and also have the capacity to change them. My goal is to help you understand those patterns with curiosity, not judgment, and begin moving toward a life that feels meaningful to you. I specialize in working with anxiety disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), women’s issues, and depression. I’m especially drawn to working with individuals who identify as “perfectionists”—those who hold themselves to incredibly high standards while often feeling like it’s still not enough. My work is grounded in Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), a mindfulness- based approach rooted in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Together, we’ll build skills like mindfulness and self-compassion to help you relate differently to difficult thoughts and emotions—so they have less control over your life. From there, we focus on increasing psychological flexibility and taking meaningful action, even when things feel hard. I also tailor my approach by integrating other evidence-based strategies based on your needs. I hold a Master of Arts and a Doctor of Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) from Midwestern University’s APA-accredited program, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Illinois State University. Before becoming a counselor, I spent over 15 years working in the medical field, which continues to shape how I understand and support my clients. Outside of my work, you’ll usually find me in my garden, walking my dogs, getting lost in a good book, at an ice hockey rink, or doing anything that lets me be outside and connected to nature.