There is a great deal about the way we live that contributes to the feeling of disconnection and destabilization that so many of us feel. Anxiety, depression, and feelings of discontent are growing. Few of us were taught the skills to navigate the complex, fast paced, ever changing worlds we live in.

Therapy gives us the time and space to pause, to reflect, and to gain insight into past and present experiences, and chart a path towards a life of clarity, intentionality and value driven choices. I create a warm and accepting environment where it is safe to express and explore emotions, tell your stories, and grow personally and emotionally.

My specialty is working with young adults and the wide range of issues that are faced in one’s late teens, 20′ and 30’s. I also work with adults 30 years and older. We work together to untangle the complicated experience of living, working, and maintaining fulfilling relationships.

Many of my clients are looking for support with identity, life transitions, change (both expected and unexpected), depression, anxiety, fears, sleep difficulties, relationships, stress-management, body-image issues, anger, grief and loss, and parenting. I see individuals as they pursue their own personal exploration and growth as well.

In my practice I additionally specialize in parenting concerns and struggles across the lifespan. I work with parents and caregivers of infants, children, teens, and young adults. We work together to foster an age-appropriate and successful parent-child relationship. We focus on understanding the different stages of child development and children’s innate temperaments and how these intersect with each unique family system. The goal is to support parents and caregivers at any stage of the parenting process from the child’s birth through adulthood.

I am trained and experienced in doing one-on-one therapy with adolescents and adults. I use an integrative approach which is primarily informed by: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Mindfulness Based Therapy, and Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT). I also incorporate Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), and Family Systems Therapy into my work. Using an integrated approach based on the specific needs of each person, the focus is building upon existing strengths and adding new coping skills while reducing distress.

Therapy sessions last between 50 to 60 minutes. Depending on the issues being addressed and the stage in therapy (beginning or later) sessions are scheduled weekly, every other week, monthly or as needed and desired.

Our first few sessions will involve an evaluation of your needs. By the end of the evaluation, I will be able to offer you some first impressions of what our work will include and a treatment plan to follow, if you decide to continue with therapy. Please evaluate this information along with your own opinions of whether you feel comfortable working with me.

Finally, I love what I do. I thoroughly enjoy every day working as a therapist in private practice. Building respectful relationships with my clients is at the core of my work. It is an honor and privilege to work with my clients during their good times, their most difficult of times, and everything in-between.

I look forward to meeting you!

I am a licensed doctoral-level psychologist with more than 20 years of clinical experience. I am licensed in the state of Minnesota (LP#4177) and am a member of the Minnesota Psychological Association and Minnesota Women in Psychology.

As a member of PSYPACT, I am credentialed to provide tele-medicine services across all PSYPACT approved states.

I earned my Bachelors in Psychology from the University of Vermont (1990). My Master’s degree and PhD are both from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill’s School Psychology program (1994 & 1997). I completed my clinical training in Maryland at Johns Hopkins Hospital followed by a post-doctoral fellowship in University of Minnesota’s Division of Pediatrics and Adolescent Health.

My clinical interests, experience, and training extend from adolescence into adulthood. My doctoral degree has trained me as both a scientist and practitioner. This means that I am skilled in applying research findings to the real world and that my work is informed by current science. I will translate research findings into language and examples my clients can relate to and understand.

The settings I have worked in are varied and include inpatient and outpatient medical settings, schools, and community health centers. I have been in private practice since 2008. I have taught graduate and undergraduate courses in psychology and learning, led therapy groups, published in scientific journals, presented at scientific conferences, and consulted with a local toy company on childhood development and toy design.

When not at work, you will find me running outside (yes, even in the winter), spending time with friends and family, baking (cookies mostly) and, if time permits, enjoying a good novel. A few of my favorite authors are Jhumpa Lahiri, Joan Didion, Ann Patchett, and Kate DiCamillo. One of my all-time favorite books is One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel García Márquez.