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I am a Licensed Clinical Psychologist whom provides treatment to adults (18 and older) in English and Spanish. I have been working with individuals in Maryland and Virginia for over a decade.
I earned my undergraduate degree from the University of Maryland where I obtained a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Spanish, graduating Cum Laude. Following several years of post-bachelor’s experience as a case manager, I pursued my doctoral degree at The American School of Professional Psychology. I completed my doctoral internship at Nova Southeastern University where I worked with children and adults, offering individual, couples, and family therapy. In addition, I provided supervision to other graduate students and taught a class on counseling skills.
Upon completion of my internship year, I moved back to the D.C. Metropolitan area where I provided testing and individual/group therapy in English and Spanish to individuals in a community mental health clinic. Beyond community mental health, I have worked in integrated care clinics, private practices, partial hospitalization programs, and university-based clinics.
While working in an integrated care clinic in Northern Virginia, I collaborated with doctors to provide mental health services to patients presenting with various health concerns. Within that setting I was able to identify the undeniable relationship between the mind and body, and the way in which trauma is experienced somatically. Cognizant of this undeniable connection, I tailor my treatment approach to each individual, integrating treatment of the body and mind to achieve change and healing.
Throughout my experience in private practice, I have continued to hone and develop my skills, taking from evidence-based treatments such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and ACT. In addition, I am an EMDR certified therapist and often incorporate EMDR to help my patients resolve various traumatic life experiences and achieve lasting change. These traumatic experiences include but are not limited to: childhood abuse and/or neglect, accidents, witnessing deaths of friends/family members, war related traumas, immigration issues, traumatic injuries, health related issues, pain, sexual assault, and other family related traumatic events.
You deserve to find an empathic space in which you feel heard, understood, and assisted in resolving your history of trauma. I have seen the benefits of EMDR therapy throughout my work, and would value the opportunity to discuss how I might be able to help you!
Areas of Expertise
Areas of Expertise
Depression
Depression
Depression can take on many forms and can impact your ability to engage with the world around you. With depression, you might be stripped of energy and motivation, experience overwhelming sadness, and find it difficult to get out of bed.
I will assist you by exploring the underlying causes and find new adaptive ways to cope with these overwhelming thoughts and feelings. I will help you find strategies to honor your feelings and move towards healing. I will incorporate strategies that address both the negative thinking patterns as well stressors that drain your body of energy.
Anxiety
Anxiety
Anxious thoughts can be overwhelming and cause you to avoid situations and people. The difficulty is that the more you avoid, the greater the anxiety becomes.
I will work with you to gently face your fears through relaxation, imagery, changing thought patterns, and bring in other somatic exercises. We will explore the root causes of your anxiety and panic, and learn how to gradually address those fears. EMDR can be effectively used to help further this process.
Trauma
Trauma
Trauma symptoms can impact your daily functioning. At times, you might have flashbacks, intrusive thoughts, or a general sense of unease, and find it difficult to be present and engaged. Trauma can impact both the body and mind.
My goal is to help you gain the tools to address both your somatic and emotional responses to trauma. I am a certified EMDR therapist and will help you reduce the intensity with which you recall traumatic memories. We will work to help you restore those memories in the past, so that you can ultimately be freer to engage in the present.
Grief
Grief
Grief can come in many shapes and sizes and can hit you when you least expect it. Grief can come from the loss of a loved one, a transition, or managing a sick family member. Grief can emerge years after you believe you had resolved it. No individual’s grief journey is the same as the next.
Therefore, I will work with you to identify underlying needs, and help you find your own path to alleviating the suffering that comes with grief. I will work with you to both compassionately honor your grief and find strategies to manage the feelings associated with it so that you can move through your grief journey.
Life Transitions
Life Transitions
Transitions can be hard—whether you are moving, changing jobs/careers, or retiring. We may find it helpful to explore what underlying factors could be contributing to making this transition so challenging. I will work with you to help you find strategies to acknowledge your experience, while helping you move towards greater acceptance.
Relationship Challenges
Relationship Challenges
Whether you are struggling with effectively communicating with your family members, friends, or partners, or you are attempting to improve your ability to navigate challenging relationships, we can discuss strategies to help you recognize your needs.
Through individual psychotherapy, we can explore your attachment history and identify patterns to help you find your voice. In recognizing that voice, you can feel more capable, and able to determine what steps will be right for you.
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