I am trained as a psychodynamic therapist, meaning that I believe your experiences and relationships in early life play a key role in the person you are today: specifically how your personality has developed, the kinds of relationships to which you are drawn, the strategies you use to cope with stress. and the way you see the world. Understanding and examining early life experiences can help resolve issues in the present and prevent their recurrence in the future.
I received my Psy.D. from George Washington University, where I also completed a two-year postdoctoral fellowship. Prior to graduating, I trained in a community mental health clinic, an interdisciplinary weight management clinic, a college and university counseling center, and a state psychiatric hospital, working with both civilian and forensic patients. Across these settings I have focused on developing a nuanced understanding of diagnosis, working with complex and acute trauma, and helping patients who experience symptoms that persist despite various attempts/types of treatment.
In addition to working in private practice, I am also a faculty member in the Professional Psychology Program at George Washington University, where I teach, supervise, and train doctoral students in Clinical Psychology. My current teaching and writing focuses on psychodynamic diagnosis, gender development and expression, trauma and identity, and how theories of intersectionality and social justice relate to psychology.
Prior to becoming a clinical psychologist, I worked in health publishing, education, and education reform, and I have taught in secondary, undergraduate, and graduate programs. I have BA's in English and Classical Studies from Gettysburg College, a Master's degree in Teaching from Johns Hopkins University, an MA in English from the University of Maryland, and a Master's in Clinical Psychology from George Washington University.
