Long before I became a therapist, I was the responsible one, the independent one, and the overachiever.

Growing up, I learned to pay attention to the things nobody else seemed to notice. I was constantly aware of how everyone else was feeling, took responsibility for things around me, and held myself to incredibly high standards. I became someone who was always striving to do more, be better, and make everyone around me happy. Being independent and having everything together became a huge part of who I was.

And honestly, those qualities brought so many amazing things into my life. For a long time, they worked for me.

As I got older, though, my expectations for myself continued to grow. I was constantly working toward the next accomplishment, convinced that once I reached a certain goal, I'd finally feel successful enough. But every time I got there, I moved the finish line a little further. There was always another goal to reach, another expectation to meet, or something I felt like I should be doing.

From the outside, I looked calm, capable, and successful. On the inside, I was anxious, exhausted, and constantly putting pressure on myself.

I'd spent so much of my life operating in survival mode that it had become my normal. I was used to pushing through difficult emotions, taking care of everyone else, and keeping myself busy, regardless of how I was feeling.

Then came graduate school during a global pandemic, followed by working in hospital and group practice settings in the years that followed. Eventually, everything started to catch up with me. I experienced a level of burnout that made me take a closer look at the expectations I'd been placing on myself and how much they were affecting my mental health.

That became a turning point for me. I started prioritizing my mental health and taking my own therapy journey seriously.

It took working with three different therapists before I finally found someone who felt like the right fit. I learned firsthand how important it is to have a therapist you feel comfortable with, someone who understands you, challenges you, and creates a space where you can show up as yourself.

My own experience with EMDR therapy changed the way I understood myself and my past.

Through EMDR, I began making connections between my childhood experiences and the anxiety, perfectionism, and pressure I'd carried throughout my life. I was able to process experiences that had shaped how I viewed myself, my relationships, and my sense of responsibility for others.

Over time, I began noticing changes in how I approached everyday life. I became more comfortable slowing down, setting boundaries, and making decisions based on what I actually wanted. I started learning what life could feel like outside of survival mode.

Before opening my private practice, I worked in corporate healthcare and hospital settings, where I saw firsthand how burnout, trauma, and chronic stress impact people’s lives. I bring both clinical training and lived experience into my work because I understand high-functioning anxiety and emotional exhaustion personally, not just professionally.

My personal experiences, alongside my work in psychiatric mental health care and group practices, eventually led me to open my own private practice. I wanted to create a space where I could help other high-achieving women and eldest daughters work through the experiences that have shaped them and begin building lives that feel more fulfilling.

Today, I bring both my clinical experience and my own healing journey into the therapy room. I understand what it's like to look like you have everything together while feeling overwhelmed behind the scenes. And I've experienced firsthand how meaningful it can be to find the right therapist and begin making changes that carry into the rest of your life.

Outside of therapy, I love trying new coffee shops, practicing yoga, playing pickleball, traveling, and spending time with my two dogs, Reggie and Zoomba. I recently traveled to London and am already looking forward to my next beach trip.