I am a human who has spent a pretty long time trying to figure out what I wanted to ‘do’ in life and I’ve worn a lot of (sometimes ill-fitting) hats. I have worked in bookstores, coffee shops, restaurants, and law firms. I’ve run non-profits and been immersed in the world of business. I have backpacked with teenagers in wilderness therapy. I am a yoga instructor and have received training in yoga for trauma.

But mostly, I am human. And what I love doing more than anything is helping others. I get the greatest joy out of my life when I see others learn and grow.

I received my M.S. in clinical rehabilitation and mental health counseling from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2017.

• North Carolina Licensed Clinical Mental Health Counselor (LCMHC); #13497

• New Jersey Professional Counselor, licensed by the Board of Marriage & Family Therapy (NJPC) #37PC00880700

• Certified Rehabilitation Counselor (CRC) #279718

• Registered yoga teacher (RYT200); #220832

• Out-of-State Registered Telehealth Provider in Florida (License #1452)

• Certified in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD by the CBI Center for Education (#2021250)

• Trauma-Sensitive Yoga informed

• Eat Breathe Thrive Intensive completed

• Certified Eating Disorder Specialist (CEDS) in progress

Therapist-client “fit” is an essential part of your growth in therapy. There’s actually research that indicates that “therapeutic alliance” (basically, how well you and your therapist connect) is a primary factor to lasting change. But what does “fit” actually mean? Here is what “fit” means to me:

• You feel fully safe from judgement when you are in therapy. You share vulnerably, knowing your therapist “gets it.”

• You feel heard and are validated in how you feel. When you share what you’re feeling, your therapist responds with empathy and understanding. You begin to believe that your emotions matter and are valid.

• You feel empowered in your sessions. This might mean you guide topics, change topics, or provide feedback in the moment.

• You feel like you can take up space in the room. You know that your voice has power and you practice asking for your needs to get met.

Notice that “fit” is really about how YOU feel. Since this is what “fit” means to me, this is the space I try to provide my clients. We don’t always start out feeling this way in therapy, though. The important part is that you have the sense that you CAN feel this way with your therapist. Sometimes feeling empowered or like you can take up space can feel scary. Maybe you aren’t sure if or when you feel empowered. That can be part of exploring “fit”

The best way to tell if we’re a fit is to request a free consultation.

My therapeutic style is warm, gentle, humorous, engaging, and often quite direct. I value transparency and assertive communication. I also actively practice calling someone in instead of calling someone out. This means that I help you identify a behavior that might not be helpful and then call you in to help you explore ways to more effectively shift that behavior.

I practice therapy using techniques from the following evidence-based models: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavioral Therapy, Emotion-Focused Therapy, Internal Family Systems, and Mindfulness. I alternate between process-based and solution-focused techniques. I draw on my background as a yoga instructor when supporting a client’s somatic connection development.

Emmons A, Chan DV, Burker E. (2021) Yoga Therapy as an Innovative Treatment for Complex Trauma. Journal of Applied Rehabilitation Counseling 52(4). DOI: 10.1891/JARC-D-20-00019

• My dog, Atlas, and I love to play hide-and-seek with his stuffed squirrels

• I grew up on the beach and it is still my favorite place

• When I was a toddler, I was picked from the audience to sit on Shamu

• I consider myself pretty good in the kitchen and love to host friends for dinner