Are you the “strong one” who secretly feels exhausted?
The friend everyone leans on. The partner who overthinks every text. The person who’s spent years reading the room before you even walk into it. The one who’s outwardly successful but inwardly wondering, “Why do I still feel anxious, disconnected, or not fully myself?”
Maybe dating feels equal parts hopeful and draining.
Maybe you keep repeating the same relationship patterns and can’t figure out why.
Maybe anxiety has become your unofficial roommate, always buzzing in the background.
Or maybe you’ve spent so long trying to be accepted by family, partners, workplaces, or communities that you’re no longer sure what you actually want.
I work especially well with young adults, LGBTQ+ people, and couples who are tired of surviving and are ready to start building a life that actually feels good to live. A life with deeper connection. More ease. More honesty. More room to exhale.
Therapy with me isn’t about becoming a completely different person.
It’s about helping you come home to yourself without shame, without performance, and without pretending you’re “fine” when you are not.
As a queer therapist, I understand the nuance that can come with identity, relationships, belonging, and navigating a world that doesn’t always make space for authenticity. You don’t have to spend half the session explaining queer culture, family dynamics, relationship fatigue, minority stress, or the emotional labor of constantly assessing whether it feels safe to fully be yourself. I get it.
Therapy with me is collaborative, honest, warm, and sometimes sprinkled with humor—because healing doesn’t have to feel “clinical” all the time. I’m an active therapist, which means I won’t just silently nod while you spiral through the same story for 45 minutes (respectfully). Together, we’ll slow things down, identify patterns, explore the deeper “why” underneath them, and build practical ways forward.
In our work together, we might explore:
- Relationship dynamics and communication patterns
- Anxiety that keeps your brain running marathons at 2 a.m.
- Identity development and self-acceptance
- Dating, intimacy, and attachment wounds
- Depression, burnout, and emotional overwhelm
- The tension between who you are and who you were told to be
I believe the therapy room should feel both grounding and challenging; a place where you can laugh, reflect, unravel old stories, and practice new ways of showing up in your life and relationships. My goal is to help you feel more connected to yourself, more secure in your relationships, and more confident navigating the complexities of adulthood, identity, and emotional well-being.
You don’t have to have everything figured out before starting therapy. Most people come in feeling messy, uncertain, overwhelmed, or stuck. That’s not failure. That’s being human.
About me
I’m a counseling psychologist, professor at the University of Miami, and researcher focused on LGBTQ+ flourishing and well-being. My work is deeply rooted in helping people move beyond simply “getting through life” and toward building lives that feel meaningful, connected, and authentic.
I’ve always been fascinated by the ways identity, relationships, and belonging shape us. Over time, that curiosity evolved into both my clinical work and my research. I’m especially passionate about creating affirming spaces for LGBTQ+ individuals to explore who they are, how they relate to others, and what it means to thrive, not just survive.
At the core of my work is this belief: healing happens in relationships. The relationship we have with ourselves. The relationships we build with others. And the spaces where we finally feel safe enough to be fully seen.
When I am not in the office…
You can usually find me running along the water, at the beach with a book I’m pretending I’ll only read “one chapter” of, or playing pickleball. I love discovering new coffee shops, walking neighborhoods without a destination, and finding those oddly specific local spots that somehow become the highlight of the trip.
Movement, connection, curiosity, and balance are important parts of my own well-being, as well as values I encourage clients to define for themselves.
My Areas of Specialty
- LGBTQ+ identity development and affirmation
- Couples therapy and relationship concerns
- Anxiety and chronic overthinking
- Mood disorders and emotional overwhelm
- Dating, intimacy, and attachment patterns
- Life transitions, self-esteem, and personal growth
- LGBTQ+ flourishing, resilience, and well-being
Therapeutic Modalities
Therapy is never one-size-fits-all. I tailor our sessions to each person’s goals, personality, and lived experiences. Approaches I commonly draw from include:
- Interpersonal Therapy (IPT)
- Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT)
- Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT)
- Relational therapies
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- LGBTQ+-affirmative therapy
- Strengths-based and insight-oriented therapy
Education and Training
- Ph.D. in Combined Clinical/Counseling Psychology from Utah State University
- M.S. in Combined Clinical/Counseling Psychology from Utah State University
- B.S. in Psychology from Brigham Young University
- Counseling Psychology Internship at UC Berkeley Counseling Center
- Counseling Psychology Practicum at Sexual and Gender Minority Support Services, Logan UT
