About Me
Academic & Professional Background
I am a Counseling Psychologist, therapist, and former Staff Psychologist at Colgate University. At Colgate, I served as both the Multicultural Coordinator and the Coordinator for Eating and Body Image Concerns. I am presently working in private practice at South Shore Counseling & Psychological Services. My office is in Hingham on the south shore of Massachusetts.
I studied Psychology at Vanderbilt University and completed my doctoral degree in 2001 at the State University of New York at Buffalo. During my APA-Approved Pre-Doctoral Internship at Duke University, I completed a specialty in Eating Disorders and Women’s Issues.
While at Duke I co-developed a training program to help women address many of the factors that contribute to unhealthy eating and body image.
My Therapy Approach
Since no two clients are the same, I am very flexible in my approach. Depending on your struggles, goals, and needs, I might be highly directive or non-directive. I always provide a safe space to work through your thinking and emotions. I am a Cognitive Behavioral Psychologist, and draw from many techniques/orientations including interpersonal therapy, and existential therapy. My first goal is always to develop a collaborative working relationship, as I consider us partners in this process.
I know the most important factor for success is having a good working relationship, and choosing a therapist can be difficult with so little information to go on. Not all therapists will be the right match for all clients. To help you decide if I might be a good match for you, I will share a bit about me and what I am like to work with. I am a very warm, approachable, down to earth therapist. I am not judgmental and accept you wherever you are in your life. My role is to help you resolve the issues that brought you in and meet the goals we set together.
What is a Counseling Psychologist?
Many people wonder what the difference is between a Counseling Psychologist and a Clinical Psychologist. While there is considerable overlap between the specialties and both are often found working in the same settings, Clinical Psychologists tend to focus more on severe mental illness and Counseling Psychologists tend to focus more on issues that arise throughout the lifespan. This includes not only mental health issues but career counseling issues.
For me, my specialty in Counseling Psychology means that as a therapist, I look for the strengths in an individual and want to help clients not only resolve any issues they are struggling with, but pursue mental health.
To me this means not just the absence of mental illness but the resilience, understanding, relationship and coping skills that allow for a fulfilling and successful life.
My Personal Consulting Interest
My interest in offering Personal Consultation/Training and Workshops grew out of the success with trainings and workshops both at Duke and Colgate. These offerings encompass the emotional, cognitive, and physical aspects of problems many of us face. The skills and interventions at each level not only help with the presenting problem but help across the board in all areas of our lives.
Many participants would not have come in for therapy, but through these trainings were able to improve many aspects of their lives. These include self-esteem, coping skills, eating behavior, body image, stress management, assertiveness, and perfectionism.
Professional Affiliations
Massachusetts Psychological Association
South Shore Coalition of Independent Therapists