I started my professional life on the path to becoming a stand-up comedian in New York City. I did pretty well and got to work some amazing events and meet some really cool people (some of whom you've probably heard of). I also met many people who would come to shows, laugh, and thank me later on for giving them a temporary escape from what life was throwing at them. While that was great, I didn't want that; I wanted people to enjoy their lives even without going to a show, because every single person deserves to be happy. I found myself talking with some of these people at length about what was going on, how they could take control, and how to make changes to make tomorrow better than today. I found that this was what I really wanted to do, and since then I've devoted my life to working with others to improve their own ones.
I moved back home, did some research, and found the best way to get me the education and training I needed to do what I loved. After earning my bachelor of social work degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County's esteemed social work program, I immediately went to graduate school, earning a master of social work degree from the renowned University of Maryland, Baltimore School of Social Work with a concentration in Families and Children.
I moved back home, did some research, and found the best way to get me the education and training I needed to do what I loved. After earning my bachelor of social work degree from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County's esteemed social work program, I immediately went to graduate school, earning a master of social work degree from the renowned University of Maryland, Baltimore School of Social Work with a concentration in Families and Children.
Experience
I have had the honor of working across the spectrum of child welfare and family services in three local Departments of Social Services in the state of Maryland through two internships and a full-time position. The Department of Social Services is the Maryland equivalent of the Division of Family Services here in Delaware. I have had the privilege of working with families, children, and adults in all situations, from extreme family crises to connecting clients with community resources, to just talking things out. Many therapists receive extensive training in the classroom or talk to you about what goes on in your life to try and understand as best as they can. I am lucky enough to not only have that training but to have actually been there in the home, in the schools, and to have seen it first-hand, from its worst to its best. Let's work together to get it to its best!
Therapeutic Approach
Every person has a different path in life, each with its own shortcuts and missed turns, its own freeways and speed traps. My work with you will be a fun (yes, fun!) joint effort to find out from where you've come, where you are, where you want to be, and how to get you there. The bulk of our therapeutic partnership will involve variations of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, which is based on the clinical idea that our behaviors and actions are the direct result of our thoughts. The way that we think about things is what causes us to do what we do and in turn feel how we feel.
A major part of my practice is the utilization of a tried and true type of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This method will challenge you to examine how you interpret life and encourage you to take a step back and really look at how you view and react to the world. Basically, we work together to get you to the point that you say, "You know what? I never thought of it that way!" or, as one person I worked with said, "Are you friggin' kidding me? It's that easy and has been in front of my face the whole time?!" Somewhere between those two!
Let's not pretend that you're going to be laying down on a couch while some old guy (30 is the new 20, right?) is rambling off a list of theories and psychological conditions and blah, blah, blah. We're both people, so we'll have conversations to figure out what is going on, what a better way is, and how to get out there and stay there. We'll talk like normal people do so that there's not that awkward "Am I saying the right thing? Do I sound stupid?" feeling in the air.
Basically, you are not talking to some research paper or graduate-level textbook; you are talking to a person who understands, who has seen it, and who will make you enjoy the process of making progress (that almost rhymed! . . . right?).
A major part of my practice is the utilization of a tried and true type of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. This method will challenge you to examine how you interpret life and encourage you to take a step back and really look at how you view and react to the world. Basically, we work together to get you to the point that you say, "You know what? I never thought of it that way!" or, as one person I worked with said, "Are you friggin' kidding me? It's that easy and has been in front of my face the whole time?!" Somewhere between those two!
Let's not pretend that you're going to be laying down on a couch while some old guy (30 is the new 20, right?) is rambling off a list of theories and psychological conditions and blah, blah, blah. We're both people, so we'll have conversations to figure out what is going on, what a better way is, and how to get out there and stay there. We'll talk like normal people do so that there's not that awkward "Am I saying the right thing? Do I sound stupid?" feeling in the air.
Basically, you are not talking to some research paper or graduate-level textbook; you are talking to a person who understands, who has seen it, and who will make you enjoy the process of making progress (that almost rhymed! . . . right?).
My Client Base
I am thrilled to work with:
- Children thirteen and up, which will include work with their families. I cannot stress how important parental involvement is in the progress of a child towards a safer and healthier life
- Couples, both married and otherwise
- Families in every sense of the word
- Teenagers and adults experiencing depression, anxiety, and/or just not feeling the way they want to