My background and experience: I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) in the state of Illinois. I earned my master’s degree in social work, with a concentration in mental health, from Loyola University Chicago. Since then, I’ve worked in a variety of settings within the field. I began my career in community mental health, providing home-based services to individuals managing severe and chronic mental health conditions. From there, I gained experience in an inpatient psychiatric hospital, a partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient program (PHP/IOP), and a mobile mental health crisis response team. I feel fortunate to have worked in such diverse environments, as these experiences allow me to connect with people at many different points in their mental health journey.

How I approach therapy: I take an eclectic approach to therapy, drawing from a variety of theories and frameworks to best meet your unique needs. Some of my favorite therapeutic tools include Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and mindful self-compassion. Above all, my priority is that you feel heard, respected, and understood. I believe the therapeutic relationship is one of the most powerful tools we can build together. I consider myself a down-to-earth therapist who strives for genuine connection in the therapy space. I’m not perfect, and I don’t try to be—I believe it’s important to model that authenticity for my clients.

My values and interests: Outside of work, I enjoy reading and collecting books, listening to music and attending concerts, and spending time in nature and my garden. My personal and professional values include compassion, enthusiasm, authenticity, and openness.

A note on identity: As you may have guessed from my photo, I am a white cis-gender female. I respect that people who identify as a member of a minority group may prefer to engage with a therapist with a shared lived experience. However, I want to be clear that I am aligned with humans, regardless of race, ethnicity, sexuality, gender, gender expression, age, socioeconomic status, ability, or size. I consider myself to be culturally aware and affirming and am comfortable with the exploration of how societal oppression (historical and present) impacts people and their mental health.