Identity formation is a difficult life stage for all; however the road to an LGBTQIA identity can be saddled with

questioning, self-hatred, oppression, and isolation. I have vast experience working with the adolescent and adult lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and questioning, intersex, and asexual community and the unique circumstances that are present in this population.

I provide individual, family, and couple counseling to members of the LGBTQIA community in a safe, supportive environment, exploring issues such as questioning sexual orientation or gender identity, coming out, same-sex marriage, fertility and adoption, relationships, couples, and aging

Adolescence is often a time of great change. Adolescents are in the process of figuring out who they are, forming their own identity separate from their parents and families of origin, and are shifting from childhood to young adulthood.

In the process, their bodies and brains are continuing to change and develop while juggling school and the social pressures that face teens today. I specialize in providing counseling to adolescents during these difficult times of transition. If your teen is having difficulty adjusting to middle school, high school, college, or relationships, and possibly exhibiting symptoms of anxiety, depression, moodiness, isolation, and/or changes in sleeping and eating habits, my practice can be helpful in creating a safe space that allows for exploration and growth at his/her own pace.

Nobody said it would be easy. Navigating life’s challenges in adulthood can sometimes be more difficult than in previous life stages. Adults are most often challenged with major stressors that include career changes, loss of employment, buying and selling of a home, moving to a new city or state, ending a long-term relationship or marriage, re-marriage, and the blending of families.

In addition, adults of the “sandwich generation” are now caring for their aging parents while raising children of their own. I provide supportive psychotherapy to adults around such stressors and the symptoms of depression and anxiety they can produce.

At the very least, couples that enter into treatment should have a desire to stay together and explore issues that prevent it from being a satisfying relationship and return to a better level of functioning.

Couples today are faced with challenges of previous generations, i.e. infidelity, poor communication, parenting and trust issues, as well as issues that have arisen in more recent years and since the advent of technology, including internet pornography, inappropriate text messaging, fluid sexuality, open relationships, and more. Your relationship, your rules. My role as a couple therapist is to help each couple navigate their own expectations, limits, and boundaries in a way that is neutral, understanding, and supportive.

When one experiences trauma, symptoms can manifest in thoughts, bodily reactions, and behavior. Through the systematic processing of traumatic events, clients can learn to recognize how their negative thoughts and beliefs have impacted their functioning.

They can also explore how the mind and body have responded to the trauma, e.g. intrusive flashbacks, hypervigilance, dissociative episodes, anxiety, sleeplessness, headaches, digestive issues, etc., and through treatment work on effective methods of coping, feeling safer, and moving beyond the trauma.