I’m glad you’re here.
I’d like to tell you a little about myself and what I do. As a person, I have many parts of my identity. Partner. Mom. Reader. Outdoor enthusiast. Boundary-setter. Truth-teller. During our time together, I’m your listener, your space-holder and your supporter. As a therapist, I believe strongly in the power of vulnerability and authenticity (yours AND mine). I consider it a calling to work toward changing how we view mental health, and part of that is challenging the “listen and nod” therapist trope. I strive for a warm, interactional environment. I want you to feel like I’m on your team, and that means you get a real, live human sitting across from you.
I want you to feel like you can show up to my office (and eventually, everywhere else) just as you are. Overwhelmed, worried, stressed, messy, uncertain, hopeful, excited. Whatever it may be, I’m here for it. During our time together, I’m happy to share the things that I’ve learned through my education and experience, but I believe that you’re ultimately the expert on your own life. I don’t believe you require fixing. I believe that given space and support, you can determine what parts of your life make sense for you, and what it might be time to let go of or practice shifting away from.
I choose to support parents and birthing people because I believe it is sacred work. I want you to be able to show up to your life, your family, your relationships, and your community in ways that feel good for you. I know how hard it can be to make parenting and life choices that are different from cultural norms or family of origin expectations. I also believe that making informed and intentional birthing and parenting choices is not only pivotal to personal and individual mental health, but pivotal to the health of our communities. My experience isn’t exactly the same as yours, but I want you to know that I am doing this work, and I think that you can do it, too. Every day, I get to listen to folks tell me their stories. Those stories have joy, and they have pain, and sometimes they are messy, and they are so completely human. It is always an honor and very often a true delight for me to hear those stories.
I know that it can be really hard to make space in your life for receiving support. It can be really hard to make the decision to come to therapy. Only you get to decide how you receive support, but I’d love for us to see if I might be a good person to provide some of that support for you.
Now, about that education and experience. I received a Bachelor’s in Social Work from Wright State University, and a Master’s in Social Work from the Ohio State University. I am a fully licensed clinical social worker (LISW-S), licensed by the Ohio Counselor, Social Worker, Marriage and Family Therapist Board (license # I.1700532-SUPV). I have a certification in Perinatal Mental Health (PMH-C) through Postpartum Support International. I’ve worked in various settings, including as a community-based mental health provider, a sexual assault survivor advocate and in a group private practice serving individuals with symptoms of anxiety and trauma. The most important (and most difficult) work that I do is parenting my own kid, for whom I expand constantly.