I work within a cognitive-behavioral framework to treat children, adolescents, and young adults. CBT is a short-term, practical, and goal-oriented therapy that works on the basic assumption that people’s thoughts and behaviors impact their emotional experience. CBT focuses on present day problems and seeks to identify the thoughts, dysfunctional beliefs, and maladaptive behaviors that contribute to and maintain psychological symptoms.

For therapy to be effective, you need to be an active participant, both during and between sessions.  As such, CBT involves regular homework assignments outside of the therapy office between appointments. These exercises allow individuals to practice skills learned and to experiment with new ways of thinking and behaving.

Using a cognitive behavioral framework, I provide treatment for Anxiety Disorders and Depressive Disorders for children, adolescents, and adults. Anxiety issues include: general anxiety, obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD), specific phobias, panic attacks, selective mutism, and perfectionism. CBT has repeatedly been shown to be a highly effective treatment method for both anxiety and depression.  

Although they can and often do manifest in similar ways, depression and anxiety each require a specific set of therapeutic skills and treatment. We will work together to manage and reduce your disruptive symptoms as well as increase the quality of life you experience.

Using Family Based Treatment (FBT) for eating disorders, as well as principles of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), I help adolescents and young adults develop a healthier relationship with food and eating habits.  FBT has a specific manualized approach toward beating the eating disorder and restoring health.  Although I adhere to many of the principles of FBT, I adopt a gentler modified approach that allows for individual therapy, as well as family-based therapy.  With your permission, I encourage collaboration with your psychiatrist, pediatrician, dietician, and any other health providers to give a team approach to treatment.

Many mothers struggle with a feeling of barely being able to cope as they struggle to "get it all done".  Moms are often trying to juggle taking care of their children, managing the household's logistical needs, being the keeper of the family calendar, and possibly juggling a job outside of the home.  There is little time remaining for taking care of oneself, and if the opportunity for 'me time' arises, many moms feel guilty about relaxing and not being 'productive'.  The continuous daily stress of trying to get everything done and the comparisons to their peers leads moms to experience a constant state of fight-or-flight.  This constant worry can lead to anxiety, depression, irritability, headaches, sleep difficulties, and impairment in concentration, to name a few symptoms.  As a mother to three young children myself, and a self-proclaimed "Type A" personality, I can relate, and I look forward to helping you find a healthy balance.

I work with parents seeking consultation, guidance, and training regarding their child's or teen's behavioral challenges. Parents often express frustration about how to set clear expectations, receive compliance with those expectations, and manage challenging behaviors when they arise. You may have already tried a "sticker chart" and read parenting books, but you continue to be disappointed in your parenting and/or your child's behavior.  Whether you have a "screen time" fixated 4th grader or a feisty teenager with attitude, I help parents develop confidence in their parenting as they learn how to create a positive home environment. I aim to increase positive behaviors (e.g., an "okay, mom" followed by compliance with instructions) and decrease negative behaviors (e.g., “outbursts” and eye rolls) while also helping your child develop good social-emotional skills and a more positive parent-child relationship.