Who I Help
- Teens and adults who want to heal from abuse-related trauma.
- People who have been bullied, judged, or rejected.
- People who wish to be able to stop being people pleasers, improve their self-esteem, let go of shame, increase self-compassion and self-care, have healthy and satisfying relationships, and find their voice in order to feel seen and heard.
- People who long to shift from being in constant survival mode to feeling like they are thriving in life.
- People who have tried traditional talk-based approaches and are seeking a more creative approach.
How I Facilitate Transformation
- By validating clients’ experiences by letting them know that their responses to stress and trauma are normal responses to distressing situations. I love providing information on how our nervous systems are so smart in keeping us safe but can sometimes go overboard. Understanding how our nervous systems work helps take the shame out of our natural responses and helps empower people to better manage the responses.
- By providing them with information about coping skills, self-compassion, healthy communication, healthy relationships, mindfulness, and other topics that everyone can benefit from learning about to live a fulfilling life.
- By helping them identify and nurture their strengths while helping them improve self-compassion, self-care, and self-esteem.
- By helping them feel empowered and move forward in life instead of feeling stuck.
- By providing a non-judgmental place for clients to be true to themselves.
- By providing opportunities to explore their issues and goals experientially and creatively, which often feels less intense than directly talking about them and gives greater perspective.
What I Believe
- Compassion is the most important thing we can give to ourselves and to others. No one deserves to be treated without it. Oppression lacks compassion and hurts us all.
- Everyone has the right to set boundaries in an assertive manner.
- Everyone has strengths.
- No one should feel alone in their suffering.
- Everyone can benefit from talking to a therapist and/or coach for support.
My Core Values
- Compassion, for self and others. I believe in being kind to each other. I strive to be as culturally sensitive as possible. I welcome clients with diverse backgrounds in regards to gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, and spirituality. I aim to keep updated on shifts in these areas so that I minimize potential harm to people and minimize clients feeling like they have to educate me.
- Honesty. I believe that I am not doing clients any favors if I lie to them or help them be avoidant. At the same time I believe in being tactful and gentle with my honesty. I also believe in being authentic, meaning that clients and I are free to be true to ourselves without being judged for it.
- Positivity. I believe that while it’s important not to minimize life’s struggles and the many systemic issues we are all harmed by, it is also important to help train our brains to focus on positive experiences. Some ways I do this are by helping clients focus on gratitude, awe, mindfulness, connection, the present moment, and their strengths.
- Being non-judgmental. I believe in honoring that everyone has their own pace on their path to healing, which is why I help clients celebrate even small steps towards their healing. I understand that change, even the good kind, is difficult and takes courage and patience. I understand that we all make mistakes and may not make linear progress.
- Creativity. I believe that using creative approaches helps clients in a way that solely talking does not. To learn more about this you can read my FAQ about drama therapy, my page about drama therapy, and my blog posts about it.
- A holistic approach that works with the mind and the body since neuroscience shows that they are connected. I use drama, other creative methods, and other somatic methods to help clients feel that their mind and body are working as a team instead of as strangers or enemies.
- Efficiency. I believe in teaching practical tools and techniques early into our work together, doing experiential activities that help clients process information faster, and sharing helpful information via hand outs and other resources. This is cost effective and time effective.
Why I Do This Work
I know from my own healing journey that it is possible to overcome being bullied as a child, putting others’ needs above my own, having intense shame and low self-esteem, and not feeling seen and heard. I knew even as a child that I wanted to help others to not feel as alone as I did.
I learned early on in my healing journey that the arts (including drama, dance, music, poetry, and visual arts) helped me express myself, feel seen and heard, and connect with others. I became a drama therapist to share these benefits with others.
Even though it’s sometimes difficult to witness the pain my clients experience, it’s the most amazing feeling to witness the growth they experience.
How I Practice What I Preach
I make sure to practice self-care, too! Some of my favorite ways to do so are exercising regularly (with a focus on joyful movement and embodiment as opposed to diet culture goals), listening to music and podcasts, watching movies and shows, attending theater performances, spending time in nature (especially hiking), being creative (fun fact: most pictures on my website were taken by me), doing activities that help me focus on the present (such as keeping a daily meditation and gratitude practice), having regular contact with my most supportive loved ones, and saying no when I need to put myself first while balancing that with being an advocate and activist for human and animal rights.
I try to inspire others to be their authentic selves by being my authentic self. Although I identify as having several non-marginalized identities, such as being a cis straight white person, I identify as having several marginalized identities that have caused me to be a better ally to others in solidarity of our “otherness” and to seek out community with people who can relate to these identities. Some of these identities are being a woman, a Highly Sensitive Person or empath, small fat (with a lens of Health at Every Size), vegan (primarily for ethical reasons), childless by choice, and a former Catholic who now identifies as a spiritual non-believer (which you can learn more about in this blog post I wrote).
I share these things because I understand the importance of knowing that you are working with a professional that walks the talk, has lived experience, or can at least understand what it’s like to feel different.
Professional Background
- Bachelor’s degree in psychology and theater from New York University in 2003
- Master’s degree in drama therapy from New York University in 2006
- RDT (Registered Drama Therapist) credentials #374 from the NADTA in 2007
- EMDR training in December 2017 (level I) and February 2018 (level II)
- BCT (Board Certified Trainer) credentials #158 from the NADTA in 2022
Professional Affiliations
- Member of the NADTA (North American Drama Therapy Association) since 2003
Contact Me
If you are ready for your transformation, please contact me for your free 15 minute phone consultation.