Description
You are a young person who is going through a tough time. Maybe it’s starting high school or college, navigating your first career, trying to find the line between freedom and independence in adolescence, or maybe you’ve had big questions about yourself that you’ve wanted answered for a long time - and it all feels overwhelming. The pressures of new environments, navigating family and personal relationships, friendships, finances, academic or performance-based stress, and major life decisions are weighing you down, and leaving you feeling confused and frustrated. Sometimes, you feel like you just don’t know what to do. You are not alone. What you need right now is someone to listen to you, to help you feel seen and heard, and to be with you through the challenge. You need a therapist who can build a relationship with you first and foremost, one who can help you find your way forward. I would be honored to stand alongside you on this journey.
Therapy is, in my view, a revered relationship; one in which your full, authentic Self is seen, considered, understood, and invited in gently, without conditions. In our everyday lives, connections like this can be hard to forage. We worry that others won’t understand us; or that they won’t believe us; or worse, that if we open our mouths to speak, they simply won’t care. We’ve normalized pushing down parts of ourselves that we experience as shameful or uncomfortable. It is my calling and my honor to help folks relearn to connect with those things that are uneasy and difficult to accept, and transform them into heightened self-awareness, new motivations, and lasting change.
In my practice, I work from a relational and strengths-based perspective, focusing on the exploration of things within ourselves that may be difficult to confront. I use a compassionate, eclectic, and collaborative approach. In our therapy space, we prioritize connection and compassion, empathy and engagement, nuance and understanding, humor and trust as the key features. With authenticity and genuine curiosity, I seek to learn more about and walk alongside you as you become more aware of your inner life, vocalize your circumstances, and engage in the formation of your own self-narrative, rooted in autonomy and personal power. Then, together, we collaborate to set goals and facilitate the adoption of new coping skills.
As a Black, queer femme with mixed ancestry, both my personal and professional expertise in issues related to gender, sexuality, race, ethnicity, and culture allow me to offer inclusive and culturally sensitive services to my clients. My understanding of systems of power, race, oppression and privilege are heavily informed by my undergraduate training in African American Studies and Gender & Sexuality Studies, most notably my engagement in an independent research project exploring the role of race and gender in historical violence and intergenerational trauma. This work has given me a uniquely deep understanding of the impact of trauma on individuals and communities, and demonstrates my commitment to understanding the complex intersectionality of race, gender, and sexuality in relation to mental health.
As a therapist with a passion for supporting clients during life’s most difficult transitions, I am committed to aiding teens, young/college-aged adults, and young professionals navigate challenges that come with growing up and changing as a result of our experiences. I specialize in working with those who are struggling with issues related to race/culture, sexuality, and gender identity; those who are healing from or seeking independence from dysfunctional family dynamics; those who have been affected by intimate partner violence or teen dating violence; and those seeking to uncover patterns of intergenerational trauma within themselves and their family systems.
My ultimate goal is to create a safe space where you can be your truest and most authentic self, where it’s safe to explore your inner world, and where we prioritize safety, affirmation, inspiration, and lasting change. Whether you’re struggling with anxiety, depression, stress, self-esteem, family or relationship issues, or identity-based issues, I am here to support you through your journey. I have a deep-held belief that all individuals have the capacity for growth, healing and change, and I would be honored to be your ally on this path toward wellness. So when you’re ready to take that next step forward, let’s work together to reclaim your agency, foster your independence, recognize your resilience, and reignite your hope!