LGBT therapists in Kansas City, MO

Are you looking for a therapist who understands your culture and speaks your language? I can help. I am fluent in Spanish, Polish, Brazilian Portuguese, French, and German.

I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse Counselor with 40 years of clinical experience. I work with adults, children, and adolescents, and I value each person’s cultural background, identity, and lived experience.

If you keep finding yourself in the same arguments, the same shutdowns, or the same loop of feeling more reactive than you want to be, you are not broken. There is often a younger version of you driving the bus in those moments. I work with teens, adults, and women navigating relationship strain, family of origin patterns, anxiety, and grief, including the kind that does not involve a death. Clients describe me as warm, steady, and easy to talk to, and they often say I notice what they did not realize they were sharing.

I am curious and validating, providing a nurturing environment to talk openly and honestly about your struggles, strengths, weaknesses, needs, likes, and dislikes. I love helping people explore their unique and particular powers as well as how these powers impact their world and their relationships. As a passionate supporter of those who have been through unjust or otherwise traumatic experiences--including those experiencing discrimination based upon race or gender identity or sexual orientation--I am particularly interested in helping people gain skills for dealing with, and making sense of, the remnants of their pasts.

Having completed Bessel Van der Kolk's Trauma Research Foundation's Certificate in Traumatic Stress Studies in early 2025, I have a strong foundational understanding of the most cutting edge approaches to treating trauma. I am also comfortable using a combination of approaches, including Psychodynamic, Gestalt, and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy. I received an MSW from the University of Pennsylvania, a psychodynamically focused program, after which I completed Bryn Mawr's certificate program in psychodynamic psychotherapy. I have also completed 1 year of Gestalt Therapy training and the Acceptance and Commitment Therapy Immersion Program.

As an LCSW, my training emphasized the role of social environment--from the family to society at large--in how we construct our narratives, enabling me to help you make sense of what in your life is yours to own and what is a product of your environment.

As an independently licensed professional counselor, counselor educator, and supervisor, I believe that everyone deserves a space where they can feel heard, supported, and accepted. I've been practicing for 15 years and hold a master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, a doctorate in Counselor Education, and a Fellowship in Thanatology with specialized expertise in grief and loss. As a member of the LGBTQIA+ community and someone with AuDHD, I bring both professional knowledge and lived experience to my work. My goal is to create a warm, affirming environment where you can show up as your authentic self and move toward meaningful change.

You can be successful, capable, and still feel like your mind is working against you. Anxiety may have you replaying conversations for hours, ADHD can make everyday responsibilities feel unnecessarily difficult, or obsessive thoughts may leave you questioning things you know shouldn’t need this much attention. You might also be navigating your sexuality, feeling caught between who you are and what your family expects, or noticing depression pulling you away from relationships and things you once enjoyed. I work with adults, teens, couples, and families who want to understand why these patterns keep happening instead of simply learning to tolerate them. You deserve a space where your identity and experiences are understood without judgment. Together, we’ll work toward feeling more comfortable with yourself and more connected to the people who matter to you.

I get to know each client individually, so we can work collaboratively to come up with goals that we work toward at your pace, ebbing and flowing as your needs change. My clinical experience has included intensive in-home crisis stabilization therapy, complex trauma treatment, solution-focused brief therapy, and treatment of dual-diagnoses.

I moved to St. Louis, MO from Tampa, FL in 2019 to study Social Work at Washington University, and chose to make a home here with my spouse, child, and pets. I spend most of my leisure time cooking, gardening, reading, hiking, and going on crafting sprees. I also love to travel away from home, in search of grand museums and new foods.

Clients often describe me as approachable, practical, and easy to talk to. Therapy should be a collaborative process, and I strive to create a space where you feel comfortable being yourself without fear of judgment. My style balances support with practical problem-solving, helping clients gain insight while also developing strategies they can use in everyday life. Above all, I want you to feel heard, understood, and supported as we work toward your goals together.