About Me
I’m a Brooklyn, NY based therapist primarily working with individuals and couples in the queer and trans community. Before working as a therapist, I worked for many years with people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and with people who were homeless. These experiences and many others cemented my belief that capitalism, racism, ableism and other hierarchies are fundamentally opposed to human well-being. I practice therapy because I believe in the human capacity for liberation and healing, and our ability to empower each other and collectively improve our lives. I don't know what living a life that you love and value would look like for you, but I'm excited to help you find out.
Approach
I've primarily worked with people with serious trauma histories who are subject to intense systems of social control and oppression. I'm experienced with individual and couples therapy, sex therapy, and working with trauma, depression, anxiety, many and other issues. I draw from a variety of modalities in my practice, though have a particular grounding in narrative therapy, which I appreciate for its focus on stories, ethics, and values in our lives. I am also trained and experienced in EMDR therapy, a somatic therapy for the treatment of trauma in its many manifestations.
Note that I’m licensed in New York, Connecticut, and am a registered out-of-state telehealth provider in the state of Florida.
- Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW)
- Masters of Social Work from Hunter College
- Completed EMDRIA Approved EMDR Basic Training through the Parnell Institute, which specializes in attachment-focused EMDR
- Additional training from the Narrative Therapy Centre of Toronto
Education and Training
Specialization
Individual and Couples/Pair Therapy
I'm experienced in providing therapy to individuals and to couples/pairs. I center your concerns, values, ideas, and issues. I see myself not as an expert on you, but as a co-creator of a new narrative. I hope to help the people I work with have meaningful lives and relationships that are grounded in the values that they care about.Gender Identity and Gender Transition
My belief in human autonomy and freedom underlies my support for trans people. I'm experienced in working with people of many genders on exploring their gender identities, dealing with transphobia, and figuring out what's right for them.
EMDR
Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing is a form of somatic therapy that helps people process traumatic and disturbing memories in a way that is adaptive and suited to the life you want to live. It provides a safe and semi-structured encounter with some of the most difficult experiences in life. I often find that people who struggle with traditional talk therapy, or think some variation of “talking about it doesn't help” come to like EMDR. I practice EMDR in a relational, client-centered, creative, and adapted way. In addition, I'm open to practicing EMDR with you as an adjunct to your work with another therapist.
Depression and Anxiety
Feelings of depression and anxiety can be extremely difficult and even disabling; they are also reasonable responses to stress, trauma, and uncertainty, and can even represent strategies for survival that previously worked for you. I aim to help you uncover the histories of your depression and anxiety and figure out a way towards living a life you value.
Poly Affirmative
I'm experienced with working with poly and non-monogamous couples and individuals and the unique concerns of this community. I aim to help people discover what form of relationship works for them, and work through the sometimes difficult process of a relationship-orientation mismatch with a partner.
Sex Worker Positive
Sex workers relate to their work in a large variety of different ways (as do all workers) but face unique stigma, and it's important to find a therapist who understands your unique concerns. Like with all clients, I center sex workers' needs, hopes, and desires in working towards a life that works for you.
Trauma and PTSD
Trauma is real and has real, lasting effects on the body and the brain. Everyone's path to healing is different, and I aim to mobilize your knowledge of your self, my experience, and what science tells us about trauma to figure out a path for you.
Sex Therapy
It can be difficult to find a safe place to talk about sexual interests, concerns, and issues. I aim to provide that and help with many different sexual issues ranging from vaginismus, to concerns about a very low or very high sex drive, to difficulties with sexual communication, and more.
LGBTQIA+ Affirmative
I'm experienced with working with many people from our diverse community, and I hope to provide the support you need. I've seen firsthand the dangers of therapists who approach us as strange, exotic, or dangerous. I also know that sometimes, one wants a therapist who understands your identities as a baseline, so you can move forward with what you want to work on.
Fees/Sliding Scale
I offer a sliding scale to clients so I can balance my desire to make therapy accessible to people with less economic privilege with my need to pay rent/bills/student loans and have a sustainable income. When you pay more on this scale, you make it possible for me to see people who pay less. When you pay less, you are letting your community support you in getting the care you (and all people) deserve.
My sliding scale runs from 60 (and below in some circumstances) to 215 for individual therapy, and 120 (and below) to 350 for couples therapy. If you’re interested in the sliding scale, take a look at the individual or couples sliding scale self assessment. Pick a rate based on where most of your statements fell, or pick an in-between rate if you have some high and some low statements. I trust you to honestly and accurately assess where you fall and what you’re able to pay. And I don’t believe any judgment or guilt is in order, wherever you fall on the scale.