For as long as I can remember I knew I wanted to work in a therapeutic capacity. When I was a teenager, I started working at a summer camp for individuals with special needs which solidified that desire. I was seeing the positive impact on the individuals and their family members after a week of strength-based therapeutic care and knew I wanted to find a way to provide longer term support.

My undergraduate degree is from Saint John Fisher College in upstate NY. A prime highlight of that time was studying abroad in Grenoble, France. My Master's degree is from Lesley University where I really enjoyed my internships, one of which was in a Memory Care Unit.

3.) What is something you have discovered about being a therapist that perhaps you didn't realize when you first started this journey?

4.) What are some of your most go-to approaches, interventions or skills?

5.) What is one of the more challenging things about being in this field?

6.) Which themes/topics interest you when considering continuing education in the near future?

I am very interested in EMDR and deepening my understanding of processing trauma in new ways.

I have known since college that I wanted to be in a profession working with and connecting people. I had originally thought I would go down a medical path. However, after working in a nonprofit after college with mothers and children, I experienced the power of voice and the ability to share one’s stories and connect with others. This is when I realized I wanted to continue to do deeper work with people to give a space for their voice and connection/belonging.

As an undergrad at Mount Holyoke College I studied both dance and psychology. This is where I started to make the connection between movement and healing and movement and expression. I went to graduate school at Lesley University where I received a degree in Mental Health Counseling with a concentration in Dance/Movement Therapy. I believe there are many ways for individuals to express themselves and having a combination of both verbal and nonverbal communication can sometimes make expressing and processing emotions more accessible.

3.) What is something you have discovered about being a therapist that perhaps you didn't realize when you first started this journey?

4.) What are some of your most go-to approaches, interventions or skills?

5.) What is one of the more challenging things about being in this field?

6.) Which themes/topics interest you when considering continuing education in the near future?

I am very interested in how different aspects of individuals’ identities and their communities can shape their experiences and wellbeing. I think that understanding oneself and feeling a sense of connection and belonging go hand in hand.

I can recall a time in college, when I was reading a research article about expressive therapies being used with pediatric oncology patients. I remember being very intrigued by not only the concept of expressive therapies, but also the variety of settings therapy can be utilized. After that, I would say that I had a series of little moments and experiences that guided me to becoming a therapist.

I earned my Master’s degree from Lesley University in Cambridge, MA. I attended Roger Williams University in RI, where I earned a dual, undergraduate degree in psychology and dance performance. In my senior year at Roger Williams, I had the opportunity to complete two projects in both of my programs. I was selected by the psychology dept. to conduct my research study as the Principal Investigator. In my other area of study, I was working on my thesis, which included a composed performance piece of work, and this was selected to be performed at the American College of Dance Association. It was a really unique opportunity to have these two very different passion projects be recognized, and it really illustrated the importance of support and mentorship as I had some truly inspirational professors working alongside me during this time, as well as the support of my family.

3.) What is something you have discovered about being a therapist that perhaps you didn't realize when you first started this journey?

4.) What are some of your most go-to approaches, interventions or skills?

5.) What is one of the more challenging things about being in this field?

6.) Which themes/topics interest you when considering continuing education in the near future?

Right now, I am pursuing continued education in DBT. Looking ahead in the future, I would love to revisit the theme from my earlier education and training,  and pursue more education around the body/mind connection and mindfulness.

I have always loved helping people and consider myself an empath, so the helping field feels like a natural fit for me. I first knew that I wanted to become a therapist when I was serving as an AmeriCorps Volunteer at a Psychiatrist Residential Treatment Facility for youth. While there, I was able to join treatment team meetings to work with the therapists and providers who were helping each client, and I loved that collaboration. That experience led me to obtain my Master’s degree in Social Work to become a therapist.

I received my Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Georgia in 2016. That academic experience was formative, challenging, and rewarding. When I think about the highlights of my learning experiences, I am reminded of the hands-on learning courses I participated in like clinical internships, animal assisted social work, and group psychotherapy courses. I loved them! I also built incredible friendships and support networks within my field.

3.) What is something you have discovered about being a therapist that perhaps you didn't realize when you first started this journey?

4.) What are some of your most go-to approaches, interventions or skills?

5.) What is one of the more challenging things about being in this field?

6.) Which themes/topics interest you when considering continuing education in the near future?

I am most interested in helping folks process and express emotions within their healing journey. I would like to receive more certification and training in mindfulness-based strategies and Expressive Therapy techniques.

The idea of becoming a therapist really became a goal of mine during my senior year of high school, when I took a “Human Behavior” class and became hooked on psychology! It was the first time I was genuinely excited about a class in high school, I found everything to be so interesting!  I was always interested in a helping career for my future, I considered becoming a nurse, and a teacher, but it was the subject of psychology that really got me excited, and confirmed my career goals.

I studied psychology at Sacred Heart University for my Bachelor’s degree. During my four years at SHU, I learned so many things about psychology, and human development.  After graduating with my Bachelor’s degree, I took two years off of school to focus on building my experience in the field of counseling. I worked as a direct care counselor in a residential program for at risk teenagers, and learned so much about crisis work, and high risk populations.  I then went on to earn my Master’s degree in counseling from William James College.  During this time, I learned specifically about counseling skills, diagnosing, and treating mental health disorders. My experience at WJC was incredible, I had so many wonderful professors who were also therapists, all of whom I learned so much from — it’s hard to pick a favorite!  My favorite class was “Abnormal Psychology” where I learned the DSM V, and how to diagnose mental health disorders.

3.) What is something you have discovered about being a therapist that perhaps you didn't realize when you first started this journey?

4.) What are some of your most go-to approaches, interventions or skills?

5.) What is your favorite self care activity? 

6.) If you had all the money and time in the world, what would be the next training or certification you'd like to achieve?  

There are many trainings on my list!  But I think the number one certification I would like to achieve is in Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT).  I know many people have found this approach helpful, and I would love to be able to teach it to my clients.

I always knew I wanted to be in a helping profession (I come from a long line of "helpers"), but it took some time figuring out what I was most passionate about. One of my first jobs out of college, I was facilitating a literacy program in a public school in San Francisco. I found myself gravitating more towards offering emotional support to my students rather than the literacy support. From there, I had a fleeting thought that I wanted to go into tech and business. I joined a 15 person start-up company that focused on travel. I lasted 10 months...I knew exactly where my heart was. I started grad school 2 months later for mental health and behavioral medicine.

I received my Master's from Boston University Medical School in their Mental Health and Behavioral Medicine Program. It is the only program in the country that has the behavioral medicine component, and that is what drew me to it. While there were so many highlights, the most profound moments came when I was sitting in a lecture or on site doing clinical work...this overwhelming feeling of passion for what I was learning and certainty that I had made the correct career choice.

3.) What is something you have discovered about being a therapist that perhaps you didn't realize when you first started this journey?

4.) What are some of your most go-to approaches, interventions or skills?

5.) What is one of the more challenging things about being in this field?

6.) Which themes/topics interest you when considering continuing education in the near future?

I would love to complete more training in couples therapy. When two people are willing to engage in therapy and work on something greater than themselves, that is powerful. I have also done a lot of trauma work and would love to become trained in EMDR.