Services

All of my therapy services begin with a comprehensive evaluation. The comprehensive evaluation includes identifying strengths, and assessing symptoms, broad functioning and therapeutic needs. This evaluation may include collaborating with physicians such as pediatricians, OBGYN, psychiatrists, school professionals and other members of your team.  It is also a chance for us to get to know one another and determine whether it feels like a good fit therapeutically. I offer a diagnostic evaluation utilizing DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th Edition) classifications. Following the evaluation, I will make recommendations regarding the most appropriate course of action and collaboratively determine the next steps. Such recommendations may include services with me or referrals to other professionals.

One-on-one therapy to help children/teens learn strategies to manage their difficulties and cope with challenging emotions. Common challenges addressed in treatment may include, everyday stress, life transitions, social media use, worry, sadness, self-esteem issues, relationship problems, friendship difficulties, and family functioning. Treatment is always tailored to the individual needs of each patient. In some situations (and particularly for younger children), it may be appropriate for caregivers and family members to participate in therapy.

I provide treatment and consultative services for youngsters who have anxiety disorders and other related conditions. Disorders which are the focus of treatment include the following: Separation Anxiety Disorder, Specific Phobias, Social Anxiety Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder and OCD. I utilize cognitive behavioral therapy in treatment for anxiety disorders. CBT is a structured, skills-based approach to treatment that involves multiple components including learning about anxiety and other emotions, identifying and challenging unhelpful thinking patterns, reducing physiological arousal and increasing distress tolerance, and enhancing problem solving skills. Youngsters develop a “tool box” of coping skills that can be helpful in managing anxiety and regulating emotions. Exposure is another important component of CBT for youth anxiety which involves helping children gradually face, and master, anxiety provoking situations with therapist guidance.

In our therapy, we will collaborate to determine what changes you want to see in your life. Common challenges addressed in treatment may include, relationship/dating problems, sadness, daily worries or stress related to parenting. I blend behavioral work (exposure and response prevention, behavioral activation) with cognitive work to help you face your struggles.

I have a special interest in addressing the unique mental health needs of women – particularly before, during, and after pregnancy. Common conditions that I treat include Perinatal OCD and Perinatal Anxiety and Mood Disorders (PMAD). I am passionate about bringing science-backed interventions to the perinatal and maternal community and providing compassion-focused, flexible treatment to women. I offer empirically supported individual and group treatment to the hopeful, prenatal and postnatal community.

At the request of parents, I may collaborate with school personnel to discuss challenges, goals, and specific plans to help connect the links between home, school, and therapy sessions. Common school-based services may include, classroom observations, consultations with key personnel (e.g., teachers, counselor, school psychologist, school social worker), discussions about specific methods that may help with integration at school, attending school meetings, such as 504 or IEP, to ensure appropriate accommodations are provided and linking you to the right referrals in the community to ensure your child’s optimal learning needs are met (e.g., clinical psychologist, ABA therapist, learning specialist, occupational therapist).

Exposure and response prevention is the gold standard psychological treatment for OCD. In this treatment, individuals will gradually face their OCD-related fears and learn how to refrain from engaging in their compulsions. ERP is a type of CBT, but it has a primarily behavioral focus in treatment and specifically targets OCD-related rituals. I offer regular outpatient (45 min weekly) and semi-intensive treatment (1-2 hours, 2-5x weekly). 

Habit reversal training is a type of therapy that is used to treat a variety of body-focused repetitive behaviors, such as hair pulling/trichotillomania and skin picking. In this treatment, individuals will enhance their awareness regarding triggering situations and urges, learn how to manage these urges through competing behaviors, and acquire skills to prevent unwanted behaviors (e.g., hair pulling).

Need some guidance on parenting? Parent coaching sessions address your child’s behavior and your parenting challenges. I will help you develop practical solutions that we can collaboratively implement in your home.

I frequently partner with members of the community to provide information about anxiety, related disorders, evidence-based treatment, in addition to social media use and well-being. I offer workshops, trainings, presentations, and case consultation to parents, teachers, students, medical and mental health providers.