About

Licensed Clinical Social Worker

Certified Substance Abuse Counselor

Master Addiction Counselor

Certified Sex Offender Treatment Provider

Some therapists focus on the past, I focus on how to make improvements today and for the future.  I want you to see improvements  and not be dependent on the therapy process. My style is proactive, skill based, creative, and solution focused. I consider myself to be direct, but supportive. Encouraging, without harassing. Active over passive.  I use a good deal of humor in my work and encourage others to be able to laugh at ourselves at times. My style depends on the needs of the client as they present. I draw from Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive-Behavioral, and Dialectical Behavior Therapy and Attachment styles inform my work. I am an EMDRIA Certified EMDR therapist and use these interventions with a variety of challenges. Occasionally, I seek additional support for my clients using my therapy dogs, Rebel and Parker. They enjoy meeting clients and being part of the healing process. 

I graduated from George Mason University with a Bachelors degree in Psychology and received my Master’s degree in Clinical Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University. I received post-graduate training in the area of juvenile forensic evaluations and sex offender treatment.

I have worked in a variety of settings with diverse populations including; acute care psychiatric hospitals, Army behavioral health clinic, adolescent girls group homes, outpatient programs, and residential placements. These opportunities have provided experience with transitional housing for the homeless, day treatment for the chronically mentally ill, as well as outpatient and group therapy for the military. My background includes adolescent, young adult, and adult dually diagnosed populations.

My career began in 2001 working for National Counseling Group, Inc. (NCG). I gained expertise with adolescent, young adult, adult, and geriatric clients struggling with substance abuse and/or mental health challenges. I was an adjunct professor for graduate Social Work courses for George Mason University. 

My practice opened in 2014 and I continue to provide direct services. In addition to clinical services, I enjoy teaching, clinical supervision for LCSW, and CSAC candidates, and speaking engagements on an assortment of topics.