Counseling

Anxiety and depression are two of the most frequent reasons people come in for therapy - both can lead to imbalances in how we eat, sleep, work and connect with others. They can also lead to unhelpful dependencies on substances like drugs or alcohol to cope with the discomfort. Just because these issues are common does not make them simple issues that are easy to resolve on our own. Often, these feelings can be related to a variety of factors including:

Relationship stress

Family tensions and parenting

Social issues and alienation

Ad­justment to life-cycle transitions (births, deaths, retirement, empty nest, etc.)

Challenges at school or work 

Economic uncertainty

Legal struggles and more...

Our relationship to food is complex, symbolic, and potentially lethal so treating eating disorders requires not only sympathetic, but skillful care.

Aside from working with patients in private practice, I have served as Clinical Supervisor at Montecatini, a world class all female eating disorder treatment center which has provided women 20+ years of care for bulimia, anorexia, and co-occurring disorders. Prior to this, I worked as a therapist at Harmony Grove Programs and Mandometer programs for eating disorders.

This has allowed for familiarity with how suffering in our relationship to our body and food leads to a great range of symptoms and severity. I have also served on the boards for IAEDP (International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals) and EDA (Eating Disorders Anonymous).

Alongside, my professional experience, I have had nearly 25 years of personal recovery from an eating disorder. I believe this can allow for a level of shared understanding and empathetic support for those who feel shameful about their relationship with food or embarrassed by their body.

I specialize in the treatment of Anorexia, Bulimia (Including Purging by Laxative, Enema, Diet Pills, and Exercise) Binge Eating Disorder, Body Dysmorphic Disorder and OSFED/EDNOS. 

Relational trauma, neglect, and abuse are all betrayals that leave lasting wounds coloring the way we related with ourselves and others. Regaining trust and repairing how we show up in relationships today can be a delicate process requiring a patient, trustworthy guide.

Alongside serving hundreds of survivors of the effects of trauma, I dedicated a year of studying the treatment of traumatic stress and its treatment culminating in the publishing of my research. 

I have also been one of the few clinicians  trained in the  Adult Attachment Repair Model, a unique approach to healing early relationship ruptures and unmet needs from primary childhood caregivers developed by Peter Cummings LCSW. My work with trauma focuses on somatic, right-brained approaches to healing.

I have been certified in Expressive Arts Therapy and often reference the visual and performing arts to talk about our most painful issues since an image, movement, or music can often uncover perspectives that are hard to express in words. I received my undergraduate degree from Berklee College of Music and as a songwriter, I know it can often be easier to touch upon our most sensitive struggles in a symbol or metaphor rather than on plain terms.

My psychotherapeutic approach may help the associated symptoms of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD and C-PTSD), Acute Stress Disorder, and Panic/Anxiety Disorders.

I also work with many survivors of physical, mental, emotional, and sexual abuse.

The journey of motherhood was historically a path that was initiated with spiritual ritual and supported throughout the lifespan by community.

Contemporary motherhood often takes place without a collective acknowledgment of the tremendous shift in identity and way of life a woman will undergo.

More tragically, women can feel profoundly alone when this process does not go as planned whether that is through infertility, pregnancy loss, birth trauma or the countless ways motherhood is different than what we imagined.

The fourth trimester (and beyond!) can be colored by postpartum depression, anxiety, and other perinatal mood disorders.

I am a Certified Perinatal Mental Health Professional (PMH-C)

I received my training and certification for this work through the Psychedelic Research and Training Institute (PRATI).

In the state of California, Ketamine is legal for use in the context of medicine assisted psychotherapy when appropriately prescribed by an MD.

Since I am not a physician and cannot give medical advice or prescribe substances, I work closely with prescribing physicians at One Spirit Wellness and Daydream MD.

Alongside my experience, my education in the area of Psychedelic Assisted Psychotherapy includes the following trainings:

Psychedelic Harm Reduction and Integration in Clinical Practice presented by Elizabeth Nielson, PhD

New Models for Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy by Seema Desai, MD

The Fantastic Effects of Ketamine Assisted Psychotherapy: A Revolution in Clinical Practice by Phil Wolfson, MD

Psychedelic-Assisted Psychotherapies: A Policy Perspective

When Psychedelics Hurt: Psychedelic Unpleasant Experiences as a Pathway to Healing by Gabor Mate, PhD

Relationship difficulties are one of the most common reasons people seek psychotherapy and most of us could use support in learning how to communicate and handle conflict more effectively. Common issues that bring people into therapy include difficulties communicating about:

Parenting
Sex
Extended Family
Money
Work

These issues often come with current stressors and an added intensity that results from unmet childhood attachment needs. I am one of the only therapists in the country trained in the Adult Attachment Repair Model (AARM) developed by Peter Cummings. This somatic, body-focused model helps people regulate their nervous systems better when presented with triggers that subconsciously remind them of early attachment wounds.