Background:
I graduated Babson College with a BS in Investments/Quantitative Methods and a dual major in Interpersonal & Speech Communication, and after starting out as an acquisitions analyst in the commercial real estate investment sector, settled into a long-term position implementing all start-up operations and then directing a non-profit trade association, managing assets of $15 million that were used to fund grants within the construction industry. My career entailed working in the areas of finance, market research, public speaking, education and a wide variety of other tasks that eventually all boiled down to decimal and basis points, percentages, trending/forecasting and presentation. At the age of 50, I wanted to shed this focus and spend the second half of my career working with and helping people, initially with underserved and marginalized women, so began my graduate school experience and second career; one of choice rather than necessity.
Prior to starting my own practice, I gained experience in long-term residential recovery, women’s correctional mental health and group practice settings. It was when working in institutional settings that I developed my passion for helping my clients with their relationships – when people are placed to live with others who are not of their own choosing, relationships can become a primary stressor and were the most common concern and mental health challenge presented to me by the clients I cared for. Even in a romantic relationship and one of choice, when people are living together they must learn how to communicate and interact in ways that improve the quality of life for all involved. Ultimately, the stress of institutional environments took its toll and I decided to move my work to private practice and began my targeted training in working with couples’ relationships.
I am an empathic, non-judgmental therapist who believes in meeting you where you are and building on your strengths in a safe environment that allows you to achieve your personal goals while embracing the philosophy that I am merely the guide who supplies you with tools and interventions for you to use as you proceed along your journey. Individual therapeutic approaches for mental health and addiction treatment blend a client-centered orientation with a variety of evidence-based practices including CBT, Positive Psychology, Motivational Interviewing and Harm Reduction. As well as working with couples, I greatly enjoy working with individual adults managing life transitions or the stressors of daily living, especially with women over the age of 50. In addition, I have always embraced diversity and identify as an LGBTQ+ ally in both my personal life and the work I do with my individual or couple’s clients.
Qualifications:
- Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology – Framingham State University (MA LMHC licensure & ME LCDC licensure)
- Addictions Certification Education Program – University of Massachusetts, Boston. (LADC-I licensure)
- MA Certified Clinical Supervisor
- Gottman Level 2 training
- Gottman Couples & Addiction training
- Gottman Bringing Baby Home training
- Treating Couples 2-day Workshop – Harvard Medical School/Cambridge Health Alliance
- 2023 Couples Conference 2-day Workshop – The Couples Institute
Community/Civic Involvement:
City of Framingham Board of Health – Current Chair
(Term 2022 – 2025)
Associations:
- MaMHCA – Mass Mental Health Counselors Association
- ACA – American Counseling Association
- IAMF – International Association of Marriage and Family Counselors
- NAADAC – National Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors
- MAADAC – Mass Association of Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors