Hi, I’m Deb, Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist & Relational Trauma Therapist
I was born in Maryland and raised in a multicultural family: my Ukrainian-Polish Jewish grandparents, my Swedish mother, and my American father. Growing up in a multilingual & multigenerational household, impacted by generations of warfare, trauma, and transgenerational trauma, was chaotic in some ways. Feelings of disconnection from my peers, myself, my body, left me confused about myself and lonely in ways I could never name.
I started my own healing in my twenties, and with proper support and tools, began a journey I could never have imagined.
A researcher at heart, my first step into mental health work started with crisis lines, before landing at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where I studied and published research on disordered eating patterns among youth. I earned my M.S. in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Southern California.
I’m drawn to wholeness, integration, and exploring what lies outside the one-size-fits-all method.
The Work I Do
With over 10+ years of experience spanning community, research, and clinical settings, I’ve had the privilege of doing this work from Washington, D.C., to New York, Los Angeles, and now Reno, Nevada. My training has spanned approaches from Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT) to psychodynamic methods, but transparently, I was frustrated by a system that stays on the surface.
You don’t need another person handing you a list of coping skills. You need a partner who understands the deep, messy intersections of neurobiology, family-of-origin systems, and the culture we live in.
I’ve learned healing doesn’t come from a one-size-fits-all approach. It requires curiosity, openness, and an integrative perspective. I draw from ongoing education, personal experience, and deep respect for the whole person (considering the body, the latest research, non-Western models, ecological and spiritual health) to create an approach that honors each person’s uniqueness.
I am first and foremost a relational & integrative therapist. I help you learn skills that are both practical and profound, moving you out of "survival mode" and into a life where you feel anchored, resilient, and fully connected to your body and your people.
Trauma-informed.
Evidence-based.
Client-centered.
-
Attachment-based therapy helps you explore how early caregiving influences how you love, trust, and show up in the world today. But we don't just look backward; we do the Relational Work of shifting how you engage in the present. This involves “re-parenting” the needs of your inner child while gaining practical tools to navigate current relationship distress.
Together, we’ll explore how your history created your current patterns,v and give you the clarity to finally break cycles. You’ll move from reactive autopilot to a place of secure, grounded connection with yourself and those who matter most.
-
Somatic therapy focuses on the connection between your body and mind.
We won't just talk about your anxiety; we’ll help your body move out of 'survival mode' (that racing heart or constant tension) so you can actually feel the calm you’re working so hard for.
-
Mindfulness helps you become aware of the present moment without judgment. By noticing your thoughts, emotions, and sensations as they arise, you can reduce stress, respond more skillfully, and feel more grounded in your life.
-
Internal Family Systems helps you understand the different “parts” of yourself. By getting to know and care for the 'parts' of you that feel reactive or small during conflict, you can respond with clarity instead of old pain.
-
We help you track how your body and mind respond to safety, threat, and connection. Drawing from Polyvagal Theory and Dan Siegel’s interpersonal neurobiology, we guide you in understanding and regulating your nervous system so you can move from reactive patterns to calm, grounded, and relationally attuned states.
-
Nature-based healing integrates earth-based traditions with imagery and natural elements. By connecting with the rhythms of the earth, you can access insight, restore balance, and strengthen your sense of belonging in yourself and the world.
Why I Love What I Do
At the heart of my work is a deep belief in the healing power of presence, self-compassion, and reconnection - to ourselves, each other, and the natural world. I see therapy as a space where you don’t have to pretend, perform, or minimize your pain. Here, you can be messy, uncertain, grieving, angry, raw, and still worthy of care.
Healing doesn’t follow a straight line. We can’t rush growth. Here, we trust the unfolding.
I love this work because I get to watch 'over-achievers' finally learn that they are allowed to be messy. I love seeing a couple move from 'polite roommates' back into real, raw connection. I love seeing someone finally put down the weight of their family’s expectations and ask, 'Who am I, actually?'
I’m guided by a love for the earth and a deep commitment to climate and collective justice. My work is grounded in a liberation-oriented approach to care - one that honors your individual experience while recognizing the larger systems we’re all navigating.
Outside of the therapy room, you’ll find me in nature, reading, pretending to run (while actually walking), or chasing a bit of wonder on some half-planned roadtrip.
Advanced Trainings
EMDR Basic Training
Somatic CBT Practitioner via The Embody Lab
Assessment & Letter writing for Gender-Affirming Medical Interventions
Advanced Training in Internal Family Systems through
Discernment Counseling by The Doherty Relationship Institute (training ongoing)
Emotionally Focused Couples Therapy Externship (expected 2.2026)