As a Certified Anxiety Therapist I can tell you anxiety is highly treatable, and treatment is life-changing. Treatment unlocks a braver, more relaxed version of yourself. I use science-backed interventions, including the “Gold Standard” treatment for anxiety, cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT). Managing your anxiety is critical in order to live up to your fullest potential, and together we can get you there.

Panic attacks are incredibly scary. There is so much uncertainty about what is going on and what is going to happen next. You likely experience intense physical symptoms making matters seem very concerning. Panic attacks are extremely uncomfortable, it feels like you are losing control or might die, and that is why many people seek therapy for panic.

I will help you understand the nature of panic attacks. Then I will supply you with countless strategies and interventions in which you may choose which ones work best for you. You will know exactly what to do during your next panic attack, and soon enough you will be preventing panic attacks like a pro.

After being the Mental Health Team Leader at the Veteran Affairs in Hawaii and a community-based Therapist in Chicago, I have a wide range of experience in trauma treatment. I am a Certified Expert, and Trainer, in Cognitive Processing Therapy an extremely effective, evidence-based therapy for trauma. I will steer you away from the context of your trauma that leave you stuck, and more toward examining and balancing your thoughts around the trauma to finally recover from the trauma cycle.

I am a Certified Grief Counselor since 2017 after the sudden loss of my best friend, my Father.

Grief had my mind drawn to mistakes or things I wish I’d done differently. My brain was trying to protect me from the pain by focusing on emotions of guilt, blame, and anger. I was distracted by all these feelings that I wasn’t able to process the mourning effectively. My own grief journey made me feel even more empathy for my clients and drove me to become an expert in the process of grief so that I can help my clients cope with the pain of losing a loved one.

After working in group-homes and with local teens in the community it is easy to see that adolescence is one of the hardest, most fragile stages of life that should, honestly, require a therapist.

Talking to parents about issues most likely won’t happen even with a trusting relationship. And friends just don’t have the best insight at this age. So, many teens face challenges alone, with the largest portion of their brain undeveloped, the frontal lobe, responsible for impulse control, judgement, emotions, and problem-solving. Basically, lacking time-given maturity. As a therapist I supplement this undeveloped portion of the brain, by compassionately helping to guide adolescents through their individual challenges, but also giving them their independence as I am not directly involved in their day-to-day life as a parent may be.

Social anxiety makes you feel nervous around others, making it hard to connect. You might feel like people are judging you, or worry you might say something stupid. Oftentimes people with social anxiety avoid anxiety-provoking social situations which limits your relationships and life. Or you may use alcohol when in social situations to mask your anxiousness. Being social doesn’t have to be this hard, treatment can make being social fun again. I am a Certified Anxiety Therapist, and social anxiety is my specialty.

Whether it is erectile dysfunction (ED) or a lack of desire, I have treated countless men for these ultra sensitive, yet very common issues. Performance anxiety is one of the main causes of erectile dysfunction. Anxiety decreases your libido causing stress, leading to ED. Even if ED has only occurred once for whatever reason at that time, men typically worry it will happen again initiating the cycle. This is highly treatable.

A lack of desire is when you lack interest in sex, and each of these cases can be unique as to why, but often times it is a desensitization to your partner. We will go over all the ways to increase the passion and get you back in the sack.

A breakup or divorce is the loss of a loved one, and it can be extremely difficult to detach from this person. You also lose part of your own identity that is associated with this person- the activities, the hobbies, the traditions, the life you created with this person. If that isn’t painful enough, many people feel they are responsible for the split, which can lead to guilt, self-blame, and anger. Others become jealous and obsessive, grasping to still feel connected. Whichever feelings you are experiencing, being preoccupied with the loss is an ineffective way of grieving, making it impossible to connect to what is possible now.

I will allow space for you to grieve, and guide you on how to cope heathily. You will need to learn how to unlove this person, and I have all the helpful strategies and therapeutic interventions for that. Then we will identify who you are, what your strengths are, and explore what life is like post-breakup. You will find a life worth living without this person.

I have provided therapy for clients addicted to alcohol, porn, shopping, sex, vaping, social media, gambling, and other less common addictions.

Whether your goals are abstinence or harm reduction I will guide you through a therapeutic approach to addiction. This is not just a cold turkey approach. I acknowledge that addiction is more than a battle of willpower, I will uncover the root causes- is there something you are trying to escape? Is there trauma or pain beneath the surface? Do genetics play a role or did it stem from a learned behavior? What are your triggers? With a deep understanding of your addiction, recovery is possible. Recovery requires constant work, but it will be the most rewarding work you may ever do.

I am a certified Expert in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP), which is the gold standard treatment for OCD. In a nutshell, we will delicately work together to confront the thoughts, objects, or situations that provoke obsession, and ultimately cause the compulsive behavior . Safe, cautious confrontation of the obsession begins to retrain the brain that the object or scenario of obsession is not something to be feared, and a subsequent compulsion is not necessary. You soon will be able to tolerate things you once were controlled by. Most of my clients feel a tremendous sense of freedom after OCD treatment.

Anger is an emotion that we all experience. It can be helpful, as it motivates you to take action and make a change by stimulating your fight-or-flight response. It also can be harmful as it not only affects your mental health, but your physical health, relationships, and career. The key is to use this emotion constructively, not destructively.

After working at the Veteran Affairs for years I have experience treating some of the toughest cases for anger management. No one likes to be angry, it’s miserable for you and those around you, but once you possess the knowledge and skills to control your anger you will feel lighter, happier, and more at ease.

Whether it is a single-episode or chronic, depression should never be navigated alone. I have seen depression become more prevalent in a world full of social media highlights and social isolation. The therapy strategies I have used and perfected over the years include instilling hope, motivating the client toward actions, lifestyle changes, cognitive control, and mood regulation. My telehealth service is most efficient if you feel like you just don’t have the motivation or energy for treatment.

Whether it be due to lack of physical-care, depression, fear, anxiety, or worry and rumination insomnia can be resolved. You should never have to lie awake in bed and have sleeplessness impact your upcoming day.

I use an evidence-based therapy called CBT-I for insomnia which involves stimulus control, sleep restriction, and relaxation training.

First comes lust, then attraction, then l-o-v-e. Lust and attraction are exciting and easy, hormone-driven stages. Love, however, can be a rocky road to a remarkably deep connection or a separation of ways.

As the quote by Gary Chapman states, “Love is a choice you make everyday.” Love is not a feeling. Feelings come and go, therefore love would too be evanescent. Love is a decision, and your everyday efforts and behaviors are the determinant of whether the love is lasting. Sometimes the commitment to love each other is fairly easy, however other times especially as we realize each other’s imperfections or encounter hardship and challenges it is incredibly difficult to stay cordial or even committed. Communication often becomes a struggle, and every conversation turns into an argument. Trust may be broken. Mistakes of all kinds are made. Or it feels like there is a disconnect that can never be reclaimed. But there is hope.

In therapy, sides will not be taken- there will be no blaming or splitting. You will work toward finding commonality and work toward a deeper connection.

With ADHD you may feel anxious about how your attention deficit interferes with your ability to concentrate on and complete tasks or assignments. You may tend to have difficulty with organization and are prone to time-gobbling accidents or losing things. These traits can foster a fear of making mistakes.

You may also struggle to hold a conversation or be mindful of others, affecting important relationships. Which can lead to a hypersensitivity to negative comments, complaints, or gentle criticism. Not to forget to mention, sleep issues too.

All of which may contribute to low self-esteem, strained relationships. and difficulty in school or work.

In therepy we will work on time management, organizing and prioritizing tasks, being mindful of others, building self-esteem, and cognitive therapy for any fears or sensitivities. Therapy is the best ADHD management, along with medication when appropriate.

Initiating or managing important relationships is not easy! You may have a hard-to-deal-with family member, friend, or colleague who creates stress in your life. Part of interpersonal effectiveness is expressing to these relationships what you want, feel and desire. We all have a need to be heard and have control over the things we want for ourselves.

Do you have a strained relationship that you would like to repair? Or do you struggle with forming new relationships? In therapy, you will understand people and their behaviors better. Once you have an understanding why someone is the way that they are, there is room for empathy and forgiveness. You will learn how to have uncomfortable or crucial conversations, and how to respectfully set boundaries. Let’s get specific, and talk about how you can improve the relationships with others in your life.

Do you worry that you have a serious illness, or are at risk of getting a serious illness? Are you so preoccupied with the thought that it interferes with your mood or life? If so, you might have Health Anxiety.

Characteristics of health anxiety include, obsessively checking for symptoms. You might in fact have physical symptoms. You may constantly be seeking reassurance that you are or are not ill, via online or from medical professionals or friends and family. While others with health anxiety may purposefully not seek medical attention in fear of what might be found. Health Anxiety can emerge at any age, but you may be more at risk of health anxiety if you have recently been around someone with a terminal illness.

Before therapy it is important that a medical examination is done and a serious medical condition is ruled out. Then, in therapy, you will work on realizing that thoughts are not facts. Phew! You will be guided on how to eliminate intrusive, irrational thoughts. You will learn how to recognize, challenge, and reframe irrational thoughts. And identify real problems versus worry. You will also be able to tolerate uncertainty and not act upon it. Ultimately, you will be guided on how to redirect your attention from the health issue so you can live a happier, healthier life.

If you do have a chronic or terminal illness there is therapy for you as well. Supportive therapy is helpful, but there are more productive steps you can take in addition. You can learn how to accept and compartmentalize your condition so it doesn’t interfere with your every moment. It may be helpful to learn how to approach fear and worry, and validate the life you have now with this condition.

I am always suggesting to the schools that they teach stress management, because we all know what it feels like to be stressed and there is actually something you can do about it. In therapy you will learn stress management, and it is life-changing! It’s a toolbox of strategies you will use for a lifetime. There is no better time to start therapy for stress management.

Burnout is a newer term for a feeling people have experienced for a long time. You feel like you are beyond overwhelmed and depleted, and are on the verge of giving up. This is Burnout. Something has to give here. In therapy, we will sort out what can be taken off your plate and what cannot. We will definitely make sure you don’t add anything uneccesary to your schedule. We will work on communication for limit setting with others, and identify & prioritize things that give you energy. You will also undergo time-management and stress management therapies. There is hope, your life can move at a different pace.

Wouldn’t it be awesome to think positively about yourself? Believe in your abilities? And feel confident in your decisions? Imagine how that would change your behaviors around others, at school, or at work. Imagine how much more you would do in life if you had the confidence to do it-everything you would achieve! It is never too late to build your self-esteem!

After many trainings, and 5 years of experience using Dialectical Behavioral Therapy I am an expert in DBT. DBT is a therapy I use to treat people with intense emotions. I use DBT to treat many different mental health conditions, including borderline personality disorder as it is the gold standard.

DBT treatment will help you cope with stress, manage your emotions, improve relationships, and live more mindfully.

CBT is a highly sought after therapy because it is highly effective and evidence-based. I use CBT for many mental health conditions, and it is the gold standard treatment for Anxiety. CBT identifies and reframes negative thoughts which will positively influence how you feel and behave.

Most mental health conditions are caused by the brain, which produces all sorts of THOUGHTS- fear, anxiety, negativity, falsifications, etc. These thoughts then make us FEEL a certain way, and then we BEHAVE based off of how we think and feel.

For example, if you have negative THOUGHTS about yourself, you may FEEL a lack of confidence, and then you BEHAVE accordingly- cancel social outings you have already committed to, disappointing yourself and others.

CBT helps you change your THOUGHTS so you can FEEL better, and BEHAVE in ways you truly desire.