About

You do not need to struggle alone.

So many of us suffer unnecessarily for years, afraid to reach out and get help. My intention and focus are to ensure that you get help, that you are comfortable, and that my actual or virtual office feels safe and welcoming.

The most crucial aspect of effective therapy is relaxing, opening up, and trusting that anything you say or feel is okay.

Sometimes, you will come for a session and have no idea what you want to discuss. That’s okay; it is best to trust what emerges in the moment.

Therapy is about improving your relationship with yourself.

Sometimes, you will come for a session and realize that what you need is to laugh or talk about the Oscars. That’s okay. All the little details that make up the texture of your daily life are important. But eventually, I will push you to turn toward what is difficult.

Therapy is not a game of whack a mole but a slow and gentle turning toward yourself.

Our work will move you to a deeper understanding of yourself and a deeper sense of well-being. The overall goal of therapy is much more than temporary symptom relief.

I can help you befriend your nervous system.

Your nervous system is a bit like a wild and frightened horse. If you are wise, you don’t chase the horse around the field with a bridle and a whip.

Instead, lie down in the grass with an apple and wait until the horse trusts you enough to approach. Only then can you begin the process of befriending it.

The therapy process is almost entirely about inviting all the parts of yourself to come forward – especially those behind the curtain, running the show that you don’t want to see, don’t like, or don’t even realize is there.

When you learn to befriend all the parts of yourself, life becomes much more fun and much more manageable.

Together, we start watering the seeds of happiness.

The fantastic thing is that once you can welcome all these aspects of yourself, they become workable, sometimes even lovable, but certainly less powerful.

Once you know them, they no longer run your life in the same way. That’s how it works.

You experience this nonjudgmental, welcoming attitude in your conversations with me so that eventually, you create a similar attitude toward your mind, emotions, and body.

About Me

Making a connection is essential.

Of course, experience and credentials matter, but they do not necessarily make a good therapist.

As you search for someone with whom to work, I encourage you to listen to your intuition and choose a person you trust and with whom you can form a close connection. Research reveals that a solid connection to your therapist is more important than credentials, coursework, and licensures.

That being said, it is good for you to know my credentials.

Professional experience

I have taught groups and individuals meditation, mindfulness, and mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR). My 25 years as a therapist include the following: working with abused and neglected children and adolescents, couples, and families in a community mental health clinic; working as a Director of Counseling at two boarding schools with students, parents, and faculty; and working with people of all ages, sexual and gender orientations, and ethnicities in my private practice.

I have experience working with trauma, anxiety, depression, and disordered eating. I have training in EMDR (Level II) and have been a devoted practitioner of Insight Meditation for over 20 years.

Constantly learning for my growth and the growth of my clients, I’m particularly interested in the research on “Blue Zones” – places where people live very long, healthy, and happy lives in harmony with the natural environment.

My education and credentials include a Master’s degree in Social Work from the University of Connecticut, a Master’s degree (Middlebury College), and a Ph.D. in English ( University of Massachusetts).

My being human

I can sometimes be a bit of a goofball when not working. And I try my best to be outside in a kayak, hiking, or sitting on the back porch listening to the birds and the Florida cicadas. I also find it helpful to practice not doing… so I spend a month at a silent meditation retreat every year.