I specialize in working with adolescents and young adults between the ages of 14 – 18, who may be experiencing depression, anxiety, grief, low self-esteem/self-worth, and LGBTQ issues.

Treatment specialization includes:

• Therapy for Depression and Anxiety
• Family Counseling (teen parenting)
• Parenting Support
• Stress Management
• Conflict Resolution

I can support your teen with a variety of issues including:

• Depression
• Anxiety
• Body image issues
• Self-Worth
• Suicidal ideation
• Self-harm
• Social skills
• Dating and relationships
• Academic performance
• Oppositional behavior
• Rebellion
• College preparation
• Bullying
• Sexual identity
• Social media
• Drugs and alcohol

Does your child have trouble dealing with their emotions? Is their behavior sometimes disruptive to your home life? Have they experienced sudden loss or trauma? As they grow, children and adolescents develop social skills and emotional intelligence. This awareness helps them to develop into healthy, happy, and successful individuals. But some children have trouble processing their emotions and this often leads to behavior that negatively impacts their school life, home life and overall well-being. Therapy offers children and adolescents a safe space to work through their thoughts and emotions. With the help of a specialized therapist, children can resolve problems, modify behaviors, and make positive and lasting changes.

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy or CBT is a short-term, problem-focused form of behavioral treatment that helps people see the difference between beliefs, thoughts, and feelings, and free them from unhelpful patterns of behavior. CBT is grounded in the belief that it is a person’s perception of events – rather than the events themselves – that determines how he or she will feel and act in response. Most people with clearly defined behavioral and emotional concerns tend to reap the benefits of CBT. With CBT, you’ll be able to adjust the thoughts that directly influence your emotions and behavior.

Are you a parent of teenagers, struggling to maintain peace in your home? Do you have a hard time addressing disagreements with your boss or co-workers? Do you and your partner have arguments that never seem to get resolved? Conflict resolution therapy can teach you how to cope in challenging situations by helping you focus on finding solutions as you navigate conflict. In any type of relationship, be it personal or professional, conflict is bound to happen. It’s not reasonable or realistic to expect two people to always agree on everything. Even though conflict is a normal, healthy part of any relationship, trying to deal with it when it comes up can feel anything but healthy or normal. Since disagreements are an expected part of life, learning to handle them in a positive and meaningful way is crucial.

Is anxiety taking over your life? Does it feel like you can’t control it no matter how hard you try? Have you already tried therapy but found it ineffective? If this sounds like you, I’m confident I can help. My practice offers the most effective forms of treatment, to get the relief from anxiety that you deserve. When it comes to treating anxiety disorders, research shows that therapy is usually the most effective option. That’s because anxiety therapy – as opposed to anxiety medication – treats more than just symptoms of the problem.

Do you find it hard to control your emotions? Do your emotions often dictate your response? Do you wish you had the techniques to harness your emotions and move forward with your life? If you answered yes to any of the above, I encourage you to explore Emotion-Focused Therapy or EFT. EFT is an approach to therapy treatment based on the premise that our emotions are a key to our identity and a guide for decision making. When we lack awareness of our emotions or avoid unpleasant emotions, we are unable to use the information provided by these emotions.

Our family affects who we are and who we become, both for the better and for the worse. We learn our vocabulary, our habits, our customs and rituals, and how to view and observe the world around us. Anyone seeking healthier, closer family relationships can benefit from family therapy. Some common reasons for seeking family therapy include divorce, parent-child conflict, problems between siblings, domestic violence, the unexpected or traumatic loss of a family member, etc.

Grief and bereavement aren’t light-hearted topics. Bereavement refers to the process of recovering from the death of a loved one, and grief is a reaction to any form of loss. Both encompass a wide range of emotions such as fear, anger, and deep, deep sadness. The process of adapting to a loss can dramatically change from person to person, depending on his or her background, beliefs, relationship to the person who’s passed, and other factors. Common symptoms of grief can be physical, emotional, or social.

Are you having a difficult time handling the struggles in your life? Could you use a non-judgmental ear to listen, somebody who really understands what you’re going through? Do you really need to talk to somebody, but you don’t know who would be willing to listen? Do you wish you had more of a sense of community in your life, instead of feeling alone? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then group therapy could be the solution you’ve been seeking. Group therapy differs from individual therapy by holding therapeutic sessions in a group setting run by a therapist instead of in a private one-on-one setting with a therapist.

Are you having a difficult time handling the struggles in your life? Could you use an expert opinion on what you’re going through, or a non-judgmental ear just to listen? Do you think you could benefit the most from individualized attention? Are you hesitant to talk to others about your problems? If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, then individual therapy could be the solution you’ve been seeking. Individual therapy differs from Group or Alternative therapy methods in the way that you are the sole focus of a single therapist who helps you develop and achieve your goals for therapy.

Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy, or MBCT, is designed for people who suffer from repeated bouts of depression or chronic unhappiness. It combines the ideas of cognitive therapy with meditative practices and attitudes based on the cultivation of mindfulness. Recent research has shown that people who have been clinically depressed three or more times in their life find that learning mindfulness-based skills help considerably to reduce their chances of depression returning.

“If only my child had come with an instruction manual!” That’s a thought that most parents have had at some point in their lives. Nothing really prepares you to become a parent. Some of us were lucky enough to have parents that set a good example. But others grew up in homes where the dynamic between child and parent was anything but functional or consistently loving. But the truth is, even if you did have loving parents that did right by you 24/7, you can never be fully prepared to handle sticky situations with your own children. You never really know what behavioral challenges your child may wind up struggling with, and how those will affect your other children and the family as a whole. This is where parenting coaching comes in.

Are you feeling hopeless, isolated, and not your usual self? Do these thoughts often enter your mind? I am worthless and can’t do anything about it. I feel guilty for just wanting to eat, sleep and be alone. I hate who I am these days. I can’t stop crying, which makes me want to stay away from others. I feel gut-wrenching pain, but no one understands. My life and the world around me are dark. I hate it, but I can’t change it. If you have had any variation of these thoughts and don’t feel like your usual self, chances are you may be suffering from depression.

Do you suffer from anxiety or depression? Do you often feel awkward and self-conscious in social settings? Are you constantly comparing yourself to others and finding you never measure up? Self-esteem is a concept that speaks to how we feel about ourselves. When one has high self-esteem, they feel confident, centered, and worthy of love. People with low self-esteem often feel shame and self-doubt. They often feel critical of themselves and are unworthy of love or praise.

Is your teen under a lot of stress? Do they not seem as happy as they once did? Are they suffering from an eating disorder? Do you suspect they are using drugs? Most of us remember our teenage years as a combination of great fun, burgeoning freedom, and a tremendous amount of stress. During this time our hormone levels are skyrocketing, making us feel emotionally out of control. We also feel a greater need to perform well academically and fit into social circles. All of this stress can take its toll on a teen’s mental health and overall well-being.