About Me
I was born in Barrington and was raised in Hampshire and Woodstock, Illinois. I first started my education in genetics at Northern Illinois University. After realizing that I enjoyed people more than a sterile lab environment, I changed degree programs and started psychology. While working on my bachelor’s in psychology, I volunteered at the McHenry County Brain Injury Management Team. Here I fell in love with helping people navigate their lives and finding happiness where they can. After finishing school, I started as a case manager at the McHenry County Brain Injury Management Team. While working as a case manager, I witnessed prejudice and the worst and best in humanity. It was while working this job that I really developed a passion for working with stigmatized populations. This included working with the unhoused, people in the court system, and people with neurological disorders. After working there, I realized I wanted to help people in a different way, by providing services that can be difficult to find. I went to graduate school to complete my doctorate in clinical psychology at The Chicago School. I also gained experience working at a clinical practice as an intake coordinator and suicide risk assessor. While in my graduate program, I was able to gain experiences in court mandated therapy, addiction treatment, and neurological and general psychological assessments. I then chose to specialize and trained at BRAVE Police and Public Safety Wellness Center, where I received specialized training in working with first responders. While there, I worked with fire fighters, law enforcement, dispatch, paramedics, and nurses providing individual, group, couples, and fitness-for-duty evaluations. I also provided state required wellness checks to law enforcement. This inspired me to complete my dissertation on police officers and treatment of addictions.
I then completed my internship at a Federal Medical Center in Rochester, Minnesota. While there, I worked with inmates with severe mental illness, sex offenders, addictions, personality disorders, and severe psychosis. With this experience, I reaffirmed my core belief of nonjudgement, tolerance, and personal drive to advocate for those in difficult positions. I enjoyed the work, but missed the flexibility of private practice and wanted to be closer to home. After graduating in 2024 with my doctorate, I accepted a postdoctoral fellow position at LivingRite and am excited to be back in private practice and to be here at LivingRite.
Areas of Speciality
I specialize in working with addictions, first responders, trauma, emotional regulation, intimacy issues, anger management, behavioral challenges, and I work with offenders of all types. I primarily work with adolescents and adults.
Addictions
I take a holistic approach in treating substance abuse by focusing on you as a whole person. While I utilize CBT techniques, I also focus on the root of the issue, not just providing coping mechanisms to change behaviors. I have worked with addictions involving: alcohol, sex, gambling, exercising, and other substances. I tend to focus on creating a feeling of safety and tolerance. If you want to change your life, I want to be one of your biggest supporters on your sobriety journey, through the highs and the lows.
First Responders
First responders are near and dear to my heart. I thank you for your service to our community! I have training in first responder culture and really bring that into the treatment room. Treatment considerations range from scheduling (with shift work and on-call things can be difficult), to the culture on the job, the requirements of the job, what your job entails, and how that can translate into your personal life. First responders can often come to a therapy office hesitant and unsure. My goal is to create a safe space. I do that by making clear what I have to report and if there is any required communication with your department. I am also well versed on issues around FOID cards and treatment. I always encourage individuals to try and we will figure things out as we work together.
Trauma
I work with all types of trauma. No trauma is too big or too small. I strive to make my space one of safety and comfort to process your traumatic experiences. I utilize CBT for coping skills and approach the therapeutic space with a humanistic lens. I work with you to reduce symptoms and to reclaim your life.
Other Areas of Clinical Focus
In addition to my speciality areas listed above, I also provide services in the following areas:
-Depression
-Anxiety
-Personality Disorders
-Adjustment Disorders
-Autism
-ADHD
-Traumatic Brain Injuries
-Couples
-LGBTIA+ services (questioning, exploration, and confirmation)
-Intimacy
