From a young age, I was obsessed with patterns, hidden systems, and mysteries. For example, how did some people repeatedly bounce back after facing enormous traumas or hardships, while others struggled to cope with seemingly minor stressors? It was no surprise, therefore, that I went on to study psychology and criminology--both fields that attempt uncover and organize how people engage with the world. Of course, the more I learned, the more it became clear that our narratives are complexly intertwined with our upbringing, culture, and sociopolitical environment. Now, as a professor at Columbia University, my research focuses on how negative life experiences impact stress and well-being, and how this may be magnified for people from historically disempowered groups; I’ve published well over 50 articles and chapters on this topic, as well as a book. In therapy, I help clients recognize the maladaptive patterns and harmful hidden systems that may be holding them back, and we work together to co-create a happier and healthier way of being in the world. Through my work as the Director of Clinical Training for a psychology PhD program (and as someone who has taught courses on “Theories of Counseling” for over a decade) I am well-versed in each of the dominant types of psychotherapy. From supervising therapists-in-training, I’ve grown to appreciate that skillful clinical work requires providers to be nimble and flexible with their approaches. Depending on the issue you bring to therapy, I may guide you through insight-oriented work, assessments, role plays, in vivo behavioral change strategies, creative practices, or narrative techniques. One consistency across cases is my expectation that clients do prescribed “homework” outside of our session, too. Healing practices work best when extended beyond the confines of a weekly 50 minute session. Taking the first step toward wellness and reaching out to a therapist is inherently vulnerable and brave--let's connect.