In August of 2012, I moved from my quiet, homogenous suburban hometown to the loud, diverse metropolitan center that is New York City.  Two years later, after many adventures, some tears and hard earned lessons, I graduated from New York University with a master's degree in mental health counseling. I next completed a two-year post-grad training program where I learned the value of incorporating deep exploration of a client's history with everyday coping skills. Today, I continue to improve my skills through training workshops and the latest literature.  

Before I was a therapist, I was a writer. My undergrad degree is in English Literature, and my entire life, stories have felt deeply important to me. Becoming a therapist was the natural progression of the empathy and insight gained through years of loving literature (and shows and movies). In the decade of working in outpatient settings, with clients across the ages, I have learned something that perhaps the writer in me always knew: the stories we tell shape our world. How do you tell your story? That story impacts how you see yourself, carry yourself and move through the world

I continue to love stories although I write far less often than I did. These days, I channel my creativity into baking and scrapbooking. Although that healthy balance between responsibility and fun didn’t come naturally, through my own therapy I have learned what works best for me and how to implement it. My favorite form of self-care? Taking my dog, Ollie, to off-leash hours on a sunny Saturday morning.