What does a first session with you look like?
During the first session, I like to discuss my client's interests, strengths, mental health history and treatment history, and what my client is looking to get out of therapy. Together, we make clear goals for our work together and make a plan on how to reach those goals. Those goals can be anything; from wanting to build insight into behaviors (why do I do ___) to wanting to reduce panic attacks, to wanting to improve relationships, to wanting to change your own behaviors.
What was your path to becoming a therapist? What inspired you to choose this profession?
My first career was in the film industry, with the intention of becoming a professional filmmaker. While working in the industry, I quickly realized that my favorite part of the job was coaching actors - helping them work through their own personal struggles in order for them to be present in the scene we were filming. At the same time, I started volunteering as a Crisis Counselor at a crisis hotline. From there, it became obvious that what I looked forward to most in life was helping people.
What’s the most profound, insightful, or interesting thing you’ve learned as a mental health professional?
That pain is inevitable, but suffering doesn't have to be. How you perceive your pain is what causes suffering. The stories we tell ourselves about our pain and the judgments that surround it create our suffering. Change your perception, and end suffering.
Specialties
Depression
Depression often causes people to feel sad, empty, or hopeless, and can cause a lack of interest in life. It can also affect a person's thinking patterns and physical health.
Anxiety
Anxiety can mean nervousness, worry, or self-doubt. Anxiety disorder is a mental health disorder that entails excessive, repeated bouts of worry, anxiety, and/or fear.
Borderline Personality Disorder
Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is characterized by persistent instability in relationships, extreme emotional reactions, and chronic fear of abandonment. People with this may also tend to be moody, experiencing a lot of high highs and low lows.
Body image issues
Due to continued exposure to images of “normal” or “desired” body types, people can develop a range of positive or negative emotions about their appearance causing anxiety, depression, or eating disorders.
Post-traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD is a condition that is precipitated by a perceived terrifying event. This event need not occur directly to the person but may happen vicariously—having seen something terrible happen to another person. The condition may last months or years while symptoms include ruminating thoughts, flashbacks, nightmares, intense anxiety when triggered, and potential substance abuse in attempt to cope.
General Expertise
Relationship Issues
Refers relationship issues with a partner or spouse. Can include issues related to relationship distress, relationship satisfaction, communication, intimacy, etc.
Self-Esteem
Self-esteem is the degree to which a person feels confident, valuable, and worthy of respect. Feeling low self-esteem can influence overall well-being and be linked to anxiety and/or depression.
Race & Cultural Identity
Challenges around race and cultural identity vary enormously, including issues related to discrimination, racism, and intergenerational trauma.
Social Anxiety
Social anxiety or social phobia is fear of social situations or a fear of interacting with people other than close friends and family. Social anxiety can be persistent, intense, and debilitating, greatly affecting daily life.
Abuse/Survivors of abuse
Abuse includes any significant mistreatment along the lines of psychical, emotional, sexual, verbal, and neglect. Survivors of abuse may experience negative thoughts and feelings, flashbacks, distrust of others, social withdrawal, self-harm, and increased likelihood of developing mental health and substance abuse issues.
Fees
$165
First Session
$165
Individual Therapy
Types of Therapy
Individual Session
Group Session
Clientele
Young Adults (18-24)
Adults (25-65)
Children (5-12)
Adolescents (13-17)
Treatment Approaches / Modalities
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
Strength Based Therapy
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT)
Interpersonal Psychotherapy
Narrative Therapy
Psychodynamic Therapy
Training / Certifications
DBT Certificate
Compassion Fatigue Certificate
Certified Trauma Professional Certificate
Licensure
NY, LMSW, 109898
Education
Master of Social Work, New York University School of Social Work
Bachelor of Fine Arts, Film Production, Emerson College
Work History
I am a psychotherapist at Resilience Lab and a Psychiatric Social Worker at Bellevue Hospital. I completed my graduate internships at Bellevue Hospital's Adult Outpatient Psychiatric Clinic where I received training in DBT, CBT, mindfulness, and psychodynamic modalities. My first graduate internship was at an elementary school working with children with special needs.