I am a psychotherapist and the Director of Education and Professional Development at Wildflower. In addition to being a therapist, I am a yoga instructor with specific training in Trauma Sensitive Yoga Therapy and Yoga Informed Psychotherapy. As a clinician, I work with people to integrate their life experiences into their sense of self while mindfully connecting to values in order to create the life they want to be truly present in. As a leader in training and development, I strive to do the same for our clinical staff and broader community in a professional context. I utilize a holistic and interactional model for clinical supervision with a focus on ethics, cultural competency, and integrity. I am passionate about the work we do and the communities we build and firmly believe that creating a safe and diverse atmosphere is fundamental to learning and growth.
Joining in the therapeutic process can be fulfilling, challenging, vulnerable, and inspiring. I utilize evidence-based approaches along with a focus on the mind-body connection to help the people I work with feel truly empowered to make the changes they would like to see in their lives. I have worked with individuals at many stages of their journey and feel honored each time I am able to join in any leg of that endeavor. I am so grateful for the connections and insights developed in the moments that feel both big and small. I find there is incredible power in the silence and reflection along the way, and my goal is to create a safe space to explore the full range of experiences that occur within therapy.
I obtained my Bachelor’s degree at Knox College and my Master’s degree in clinical social work at the University of Chicago’s School of Social Service Administration. Prior to joining Wildflower, I was the Clinical Director of a Mood, Anxiety and Trauma Related disorders program at the residential level of care. I have worked extensively with individuals with mood, anxiety, trauma related disorders and eating disorders treating both individuals, couples and families. My clinical training in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy (RO-DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Exposure and Response Prevention, and Trauma Sensitive Yoga Therapy guide my holistic approach towards helping people in their emotional and behavioral development.
Furthering Wildflower’s educational mission is an essential part of my role and professional identity. I have presented on a variety of themes to clinicians at Wildflower and beyond. Topics have included: “Like a Mother: Clinical Implications of Psychotherapy as a New(er) Mom,” “On Grief and Grieving: Addressing Perinatal Loss in Psychotherapy,” “Step by Step: Applying DBT to the Treatment of Trauma,” “Co-regulation in Action: Beginning with the Therapist,” “Treating Trauma Through the Stages: An Integrative Approach,” “Connecting Mind and Body: Healing Through Yoga,” “Evidence-based Practice and Practice-based Evidence: How Do We Determine What Interventions to Call On and Whether They Are Effective?” “Rocky Terrain: Addressing Ruptures, Repairs, and Terminations in Psychotherapy,” and “Trauma-Informed Care.”
- IL LCSW License Number:149017861
- CO LCSW License Number: 09928923
- Type 1 NPI Number: 1942747522
- Accepts: Lyra, UnitedHealthcare/Optum PPO, self-pay and out of network clients
Selected Training & Affiliation
- Trauma-Sensitive Yoga Certification with the Trauma Center
- Dialectical Behavior Therapy training
- Radically Open Dialectical Behavior Therapy training
- Exposure And Response Prevention Training
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: The Process and Practice of Mindful Change
- Certified Yoga Instructor (200hr, Yoga Alliance)
- Gottman Method Couples Therapy, Level One Certified
- Perinatal Mental Health Certified (PMH-C)
- Clinical Supervision: Providing Effective Supervision, Navigating Ethical Issues and Managing Risk Training and Certification
- Highly-Sensitive Person (HSP) Knowledgeable Therapist
Key Beliefs
- You are exactly where you need to be, in fact this moment is the only one you could be in. Allow yourself to be here and breathe.
- Everyone is doing the best that they can with the skills that they have, when we know “better” we can do “better”.
More About Me
I adore my dogs and have rescued several. I’m an animal lover and have a dream to one day live on a farm where I have many dogs, maybe a few pigs and a pond with two otters who hold hands.
I love reading and am always either in the middle of a book or listening to one on audible—if not both simultaneously.
My own yoga practice is so important to me but I still have trouble committing to a regular practice. I try to practice a lot of self-compassion about that and make it to my mat as often as I can.
I am the mother of two babies born during the COVID-19 pandemic. The process of becoming a parent during the extreme circumstances we are living through has been formative in my therapeutic work, especially with my perinatal clients. I believe now more than ever, we need to lead with compassion and curiosity to adapt to these uncertain times.
