Find a therapist in Petaluma, CA — covered by insurance

Hi, I’m a board-certified Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner. I offer a supportive and judgment-free space to help you manage anxiety, depression, ADHD, eating disorders, and mood disorders. I work with children, adolescents, and adults using evidence-based care that’s tailored to your needs. My goal is to help you feel seen, heard, and empowered within the family. Let’s walk this journey together, one step at a time.

I am a New Jersey native and have over 20 years of professional experience working in various clinical and supportive facilities such as Partial Hospitalization (PHP), Outpatient Treatment, State Residential Treatment Centers, Community Mental Health Clinics, Employee Assistance Programs, and Assisted Living centers.

Having been in therapy myself, I've experienced firsthand its positive impact, helping me overcome my anxiety and equipping me with practical tools I still use today. I understand that repeatedly answering 'How does that make you feel?' can be frustrating. Drawing from my personal experience both as a therapy client and practitioner in a treatment center setting, I bring energy into my sessions and build momentum to help clients get unstuck and face their Anxiety & OCD with confidence.

Respect, understanding, and compassion are balanced with training and experience that will facilitate the most healing process from start to finish. We all face challenges, and have unexpected life events that have the capacity to set us back. However, 25 years of experience working with children and adolescents, couples in crisis, men, and those with addictions has prepared me to be uniquely qualified to help you on a new journey..

For nearly 13 years, I worked as a psychotherapist at a mens' long term substance abuse treatment program, The Fellowship Center, Inc. in Escondido California. I obtained several certifications as a drug and alcohol counselor, but I relied primarily on my training as a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist to perform individual psychotherapy for residents in the treatment program.

I also have obtained training in Eye Movement Desentitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) which I believe provides a robust treatment intervention for trauma. I now have 10 years experience using EMDR both in person and by telehealth with more than one hundred fifty clients.

I also have a strong interest in mindfulness and somatic interventions which I believe are essential in the integration of the treatment of both substance abuse and trauma.

In addition to trauma and substance abuse, I most frequently work with clients suffering from anxiety, depression, or complex grief.

Finally, I enjoy working with clients who are struggling in the midst of major life transitions.

My experience is centered on collaborating with youth, adults, and families. During these developing years and shifting dynamics, additional care for our health is needed. I work with emotional regulation, relational rifts, enhancing communication, and acceptance of self.

With attachment focused therapy as my base, I utilize mindfulness and experiential approaches in our work together. Our conversations and therapeutic activities are guided by your experience and goals.

I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist (LMFT) in California with a Master's degree in Clinical Psychology from Antioch University. Over the past 15 years, I have worked with a wide range of clients and have developed a practice treating substance use disorders, personality disorders, mood disorders, and executive functioning challenges. I am also trained in Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and incorporate evidence-based techniques tailored to each client's unique needs.

Before becoming a therapist, I earned a Juris Doctor and an MBA, experiences that give me a unique perspective on the complex personal, professional, and life challenges many clients face. Whether you are struggling with addiction, anxiety, depression, emotional regulation, relationship difficulties, or feeling stuck, my goal is to provide practical tools, compassionate support, and a collaborative environment where meaningful change can occur.

When I was a kid, I often got in trouble for being too loud with asking questions and calling adults out on things that didn’t seem fair to me. For as long as I can remember, I’ve been an advocate of some kind. A career in social work, then, made total sense to me when I discovered the field as an undergraduate at San Jose State.

Two more degrees and a license later, I still carry the spirit of that little girl, fighting for the underserved. I have a long history of diagnosing and treating adults with severe and chronic mental illness. I take my work very seriously and it’s important to me to help my clients heal, grow, and thrive.

My clients seek my services as a way to recuperate from lifetimes of overworking themselves into worthiness. I guide them toward unlearning the things that taught them they weren’t enough. I give them the tools they need to create wellness and wholeness in a way that’s unique to who they are.

Through my private practice and my brand, Therapy is a Lifestyle, I want to help you see yourself in new ways - without the lens of your trauma. I specialize in anxiety disorders, EMDR, and other trauma-informed approaches to help you do that.

Let’s take the journey toward your recovery, together. Being here is your first step!