About Me

LICENSED PSYCHOLOGIST — NORTH CAROLINA, MASSACHUSETTS AND TELEHEALTH PARTICIPATING STATES

Brief Biography

I primarily practice using a therapeutic method called Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). I have been a practicing psychologist for over 10 years, after finishing my doctoral training with the founder of ACT, Steven C. Hayes, PhD. I have worked with adults and older adults at Veterans Affairs hospitals and at Duke University School of Medicine where I have experience with a range of issues including burnout, perfectionism, anxiety, trauma recovery, life transitions, grief/loss, and health issues such as coping with cancer, life-limiting illness, changes to physical functioning and aging.

ACT is the lens through which I see the world and I draw from a range of cognitive behavioral and mindfulness-based therapies. I appreciate this approach because it can deepen the therapy experience, help us honor our most painful experiences, and empower even small moves toward a life lived with meaning and purpose. I also have extensive experience using exposure-based therapies to help you approach and learn to live with painful memories, experiences, and fears — but always for the purpose of living more fully and freely.

My purpose as a therapist is to understand each person in context, fully, and with an appreciation of the many factors that can influence current struggles today. I strive to live in line with my values of authenticity, kindness, and honoring our inherent worth as humans. Because life is a rich mix of feelings and experiences, I balance humor and seriousness to help you find connection, learn to live in the moment just as it is, and find the courage to take steps on your meaningful life path.

Full Biography

  • Bachelor of Science, Psychology, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

    PhD, Clinical Psychology, University of Nevada, Reno

    Pre-Doctoral Internship, VA Puget Sound Healthcare System, Seattle, WA

    Post-Doctoral Fellowship, VA Puget Sound Healthcare System, Seattle, WA

  • North Carolina Psychologist and Health Service Provider License #5044

    Massachusetts Psychologist #PSY10000686

    Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology (PsyPact): E.Passport #11369

  • I finished my training and worked as a provider at the VA Puget Sound Healthcare System in Seattle, WA for 5 years, serving Veterans with PTSD, substance misuse, chronic pain and many other concerns.

    For 7 years, I served as faculty at Duke University School of Medicine, providing outpatient psychotherapy to a wide-range of adults across the lifespan, such as those coping with health issues such as cancer and terminal illness, persistent pain, and numerous other chronic and complex medical issues. I also provided care for those facing professional concerns, challenges associated with aging and living well in older adulthood, parenting stress, grief/loss, and anxiety and worry.

    I remain passionate about reducing health disparities. I strive to help those facing societal discrimination from racism, LGBTQIA+ identity, disability and more, and work to help my clients transcend these unfair burdens and live more fully and freely.

  • Throughout my career, I have contributed to peer-reviewed scholarly works on the application of ACT to different populations and a book for therapists on helping patients strengthen their personal values.

    I served as a clinician educator at the VA Puget Sound Healthcare System in Seattle, WA and was a supervisor for psychology interns and fellows in the APA-accredited training programs, primarily focusing on helping them learn to do ACT.

    As faculty in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at Duke University and member of the Duke Cancer Institute, I conducted research, served as a clinical provider and trained others in ACT. I served as a supervisor within the APA-accredited Duke Pre-Doctoral Psychology Internship. In funded research studies, I developed, tailored, and contributed to ACT-informed interventions to help those with medical issues such as cancer pain and older adult mobility issues.

    I have also served on the Editorial Board and as an Associate Editor for the Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science, the official journal for the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science.

    Click here for a partial publications list.

  • In my extensive work with a wide range of individual therapy clients, as well as group psychotherapy in hospital systems, I appreciate this approach because it can deepen the therapy experience, help us honor our most painful experiences, and empower even small moves toward a life lived with meaning and purpose.

    I have contributed to the education and training of many learning ACT including those in psychology and social work training programs, veteran’s service organizations, community mental health organizations, as well as active-duty Behavioral Service Officers and civilian counselors in the United States Army. I also served as a consultant and trained Veteran’s Affairs providers in ACT as part of the VA national initiative for Evidence Based Treatments.

    I am a Peer-Reviewed ACT Trainer within the international ACT scholarly community, the Association for Contextual Behavioral Science.