About Me
Beginnings
I was born in Maryland and raised in a blend of cultures: my Ukrainian-Polish Jewish grandparents, my Swedish mother, and my Ohio-born father. My life was shaped by a mix of languages and traditions - snippets of Yiddish, Swedish traditions, and a quiet sense of history that shaped everything. I learned quickly to notice what wasn’t said: the heavy silences, the frustrations and grief passed down, and the quiet strength that held everything together. Wanting to understand the unspoken web of connections led me to this work.
My first step into mental health work started in college, volunteering on the campus crisis line. I went on to work at suicide hotlines and pro bono counseling centers before landing a post-baccalaureate research role at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), where I studied disordered eating patterns among youth. I later earned my Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of Southern California. I completed my clinical associateship at the Children’s Institute in Los Angeles, working with youth and families from low-income communities navigating complex trauma.
The Work I Do
I’m now a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in California and Nevada with over a decade of experience across community, research, and clinical setting - from Washington, D.C. to New York, Los Angeles, and now Reno, Nevada.
I'm drawn to working with adults navigating anxiety, shame, heartbreak, and couples struggling with fear, distance, or miscommunication. Many of my clients are anxious in relationships, caught in cycles of self-doubt, or unsure how to build the intimacy they crave. Others are moving through grief, divorce, or major life transitions and seeking steadier ground.
My approach is integrative and trauma-informed, rooted in attachment theory, somatic practices, EMDR, IFS-informed (parts work), and mindfulness. I’ve trained with The Embody Lab and the EMDR Institute, and I continue to study methods that honor culture, community, and the body’s wisdom.
What Guides Me
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. Like the seasons, it can’t be forced. We don't rush growth here. Here, we learn to trust the unfolding. Whether you’re anxious, disconnected, or unsure where to begin, this is a space for curiosity, care, and meaningful change while being exactly who you are.
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 likely find me in nature, reading, hunting for retro albums, sipping coffee with friends, or chasing a bit of wonder on the road. These things remind me why this work matters.