I chose to become an Art Therapist and Licensed Professional Counselor because sometimes, words are just the ticket. Other times, they're not enough, and we must to express ourselves differently. I benefited greatly from therapeutic spaces in which I could create my feelings in addition to trying to explain them. I hope to provide a similarly flexible space for others in my therapeutic practice.

I hope every client learns that they are inherently creative, even if one does not identify as "artistic". When we start to consider our creativity as a possible tool in our healing and growth, we might feel a stronger sense of agency and a greater ability to cope.

I chose to pursue a practice at Thriveworks because I have the opportunity to meet with folks in person and on line. The flexible and adaptive scheduling is important; we are all real people with real lives!

In a first session with clients, I seek to establish a space of safety and potential. Through gentle inquiry, the goal is to learn what has brought the client to therapy in their own words, the tools they have been using to get through the motions of life, and what one might be hoping to accomplish in our therapeutic work together. I hope the individual leaves the session feeling curious, witnessed, and ready to return next time.

If it feels safe and accessible, clients have the opportunity to engage in Art Therapy directives and art making exercises in our sessions. For example, I may invite clients to take the first few minutes to develop imagery to represent how one is feeling and identifying today, and then using the image as a "jumping off" point for our session. There are no wrong answers here! Art making has a funny way of altering our feeling states - maybe for the better.

In my time off you can catch me playing with my cat Maxine, reading a lot of fiction, watching (and sometimes grieving) Philadelphia sports, and making art.

I'm a lefty!