I have always been fascinated by people—the ways we relate to one another, the emotional worlds we carry within us, and the often unseen forces that shape our thoughts, feelings, and relationships. That curiosity led me into the field of social work, where I first developed an appreciation for how our families, communities, and broader social environments profoundly influence who we become.

During my graduate training, I learned cognitive behavioral therapy and other approaches that taught me how to understand patterns of thinking and behavior. As I began working with patients, however, I found myself asking deeper questions that my education had not fully prepared me to answer. I wanted to understand not only what people were thinking or doing, but why they continued to experience the same emotional pain, relationship struggles, and internal conflicts despite their sincere efforts to change. It became clear to me that I needed a deeper understanding of the human mind if I was going to help people in the way I hoped to.

That search ultimately led me to psychoanalysis. From the beginning, I felt I had discovered a way of thinking that gave language to many of the questions I had been asking throughout my career. Psychoanalytic theory offered a richer understanding of personality, relationships, unconscious emotional life, and the many ways our past continues to shape our present. My years of psychoanalytic training—and my own personal psychoanalysis—transformed not only the way I practice psychotherapy, but also the way I understand myself. Through that experience, I discovered aspects of myself that had previously been outside of my awareness and found a greater sense of freedom in my relationships and in the way I engaged with the world. Those experiences strengthened my conviction that meaningful psychological change is possible and continue to shape the way I work with every patient I meet.

My approach to psychotherapy is guided by psychoanalytic principles while remaining deeply collaborative and individualized. I strive to create a therapeutic relationship where patients feel genuinely understood while also feeling thoughtfully challenged to examine longstanding patterns that may no longer serve them. My goal is not simply to reduce symptoms, but to help people develop a deeper understanding of themselves so they can experience greater freedom in their relationships, work, and everyday lives.

I enjoy working with adults experiencing anxiety, depression, trauma, grief, relationship difficulties, and other forms of emotional suffering. While I welcome individuals from many different backgrounds and life experiences, I find that patients who are curious about themselves, willing to be emotionally vulnerable, and committed to the process of self-exploration often find this work especially meaningful.

One of the greatest privileges of my work is hearing patients describe how different this process feels from previous attempts to seek help. Many tell me that therapy is more challenging than they expected, yet ultimately more expansive and life-changing than they imagined. Patients often describe me as calming, deeply invested in their growth, and willing to ask difficult questions in the service of helping them better understand themselves.

Professionally, I earned my Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Clinical Social Work from the Institute for Clinical Social Work in Chicago before completing psychoanalytic training at the Michigan Psychoanalytic Institute, where I graduated as a psychoanalyst. I am board certified in Adult Psychoanalysis through the American Board of Psychoanalysis. In addition to my clinical work, I have served on the faculty of the Institute for Clinical Social Work, teaching doctoral-level courses, facilitating case conferences, and serving on dissertation committees. I have also authored a book, published in The Psychoanalytic Quarterly and other scholarly works, and presented on topics including psychoanalysis, race, and social class.

I believe people readily devote time and energy to improving their education, careers, and physical health, yet often underestimate the value of investing in their emotional lives. My hope is that therapy becomes an opportunity not simply to feel better, but to understand yourself more deeply and discover possibilities for growth and fulfillment that may have once seemed out of reach.