About Therapy
That Little Voice Inside
Ready to begin retraining that little voice inside you that is so skilled at making you feel less than . . . incompetent . . . overwhelmed . . . hopeless?
You know the one—that 4-star general inside that knows how to kick you when you are already down?
The Inner Voice Becomes an Inner Coach
It may take some time and practice to replace that internal critic with an inner coach.
Yes, that inner coach will hold you accountable, but it is kinder, more encouraging, and, very often, MORE grounded in reality!
At first you will hear that supportive inner coach’s voice in our sessions. But, over time, you will hear it from within when you are not in session.
The New Voice Inside
There will come a time in our work together when something upsets or disappoints you . . . or when you’ve made a mistake. Spoiler Alert: We all do!
But your new inner coach will finally catch that negative, sabotaging critic within and stop it in its tracks!
And once you have securely muzzled it, you will then hear a new voice inside—a gentler voice that begins to respond to you in the supportive, loving way you would speak to a friend that is having a rough time.
And once you have changed your self-talk, the sky is the limit!
Unconditional Acceptance in a Sacred Space
My clients sometimes joke with me about my unwavering ability to accept them unconditionally, to see the positive in their negatives, to steadfastly cheer them on in their journey of healing, growth, and self-discovery.
For me, as crazy or corny as it may sound, the therapeutic relationship feels like sacred space.
Clients entrust me with their secrets, their shames, their pain, and their fears, and I create a caring, safe and judgement-free environment (infused with some humor!).
In this supportive and collaborative cocoon, a client can work through their past in order to transform into their very BEST SELVES in conscious, active pursuit of their BEST LIVES.
I am humbled and in awe of what my clients are able to achieve!
About Me
Education and Training
I am a psychotherapist with over 23 years of experience counseling clients in private practice.
I have a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Mount Holyoke College and a Master of Social Work (MSW) from New York University.
As a therapist, I have worked in a variety of positions: as a community trainer, a counselor for victims of domestic violence, an outpatient drug/alcohol counselor, a social worker with the chronically ill, a school therapist for children with learning and behavioral problems, an in-home early intervention therapist for developmentally delayed children, and as an in-home therapist for at-risk children/teens experiencing behavioral issues, depression, and anxiety.
I am fairly fluent in Spanish.
I am trained in play therapy, collaborative law, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR).
Additionally, I’ve received specialized training at the Girls Leadership Institute with their “Girl Meets World” curriculum: conflict resolution, communication, and leadership skills for girls in grades 6-12.
When I Am Not Doing Therapy
I love sitting on the beach, when it’s empty, in the late afternoon, with a great book.
I have a passion for inclusion and equality.
I have a soft-spot for the underdog (hence my allegiance to teams like the Mets and the Jets, lol!)
I love art, music, theater and film (I can’t choose favorites; there are too many to list!)
I love travel! I have camped in Kenya, hiked the Inca Trail in Peru, and slept in a treehouse in the Santa Cruz Mountains—just to name a few fun adventures!
Craziest job: On a factory assembly line (which was truly something out of that “I Love Lucy” episode where Lucy and Ethel work at the chocolate factory!). It was complete mayhem! If you have seen the episode, you can hear the line supervisor barking, “Let it ROLL!”
Most inspiring job: At a preschool in a pueblo joven (shanty town) in Peru—where the building blocks were painted soup cans and a new pencil was everything to a child.
Best recurring daydream: The one where I win the lottery big-time and then imagine all the ways I am going to use it, share it, gift it, etc.
Pet Peeve: The insane amount of time I waste in a week either (a) trying to find my cell phone by calling it with another phone or (b) looking for my glasses (which, of course, I have trouble finding because…I can’t see without my glasses!).