I am a licensed clinical psychologist and certified school psychologist specializing in children, adolescents, families, and young adults. Psychologists are extensively trained in both diagnostics — identifying disorders — and therapy, as well as how to use one to guide the other. I gather information from all areas of your life to understand you as a whole person, not defined by ‘the problem’ that brought you to services.
I am passionate about children, teens, and parents. I chose to specialize in Child Clinical Psychology because I find children and adolescents to be fun to work with and incredibly strong and inspiring. I use a family-based approach, encouraging parent involvement and communication and providing families information about diagnosis and treatment planning. I use play and humor to address the problem in a relaxing setting at the child’s pace. My goal is to empower youth and families to change not only specific behavioral or emotional concerns, but also support overall health and development.
I am trained in a variety of approaches, but tend to lean toward Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Interpersonal Therapy to help clients change what they can control (i.e., their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors) and have better relationships with those around them. I work to help people find balance and acceptance while making changes toward their next goals for growth.
I particularly enjoy working with those with anxiety and mood difficulties, and have extensive experience working with those with a history traumatic experiences including abuse. I have helped many children and teens see positive changes through Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) and Parent-Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT), two of the gold-standard treatments for youth and families who have experienced trauma. Finally, I have helped many young adults with depression and anxiety, including that complicated by traumatic experiences, typically using Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT). My use of evidence-based treatment models helps us both to stay focused on helping you make the changes you want.
Having worked in school systems as a certified school psychologist, I am able to provide practical support to the family and team of teachers to help kids improve their functioning in school. I occasionally contract with the nearby school districts to support the team of school psychologists in evaluations and special education eligibility.
I received undergraduate training at the College of Charleston (B.S., B.A.) and graduate training at the Georgia School of Professional Psychology’s American Psychological Association (APA) approved clinical doctoral program (M.A. – 2006, Psy.D. – 2009). I received specialized training in school psychology at the University of Georgia’s APA- and NASP-approved school psychology doctoral program.
I have previously worked in community mental health, hospital-affiliated clinic, and residential treatment settings, as well as public schools.