When your child is having big emotions, shutting down, struggling at school, or behaving in ways that are hard to understand, it can leave you wondering what they need and how to help. For children, tweens, and teens, behavior is often a form of communication, especially when they do not yet have the words to explain what is happening inside.

I provide a warm, accepting space where young people can feel understood for who they are. Rather than focusing only on changing behaviors, we work to understand what those behaviors may be communicating, build emotional regulation and coping skills, and help your child develop greater confidence in themselves and their relationships.

How I help

Play Therapy: Have you ever felt like your child’s behavior is saying something they can’t put into words? Play therapy can help children feel understood, build emotional regulation, and develop new ways to communicate, cope, and connect.

Children don’t always have the words to explain what they’re feeling, but they often communicate through play.Through play, creativity, and storytelling children are given a safe, non-judgmental space to express what they’re carrying and work through emotions in a way that feels natural to them.

For Tweens, Teens and Young Adults

Person-Centered Therapy: I believe you know yourself — and your child — better than anyone. My role is to create a space where you can feel heard, understood, and accepted without judgment. Together, we slow things down, make sense of what’s happening, and explore what you need to move forward.

Whether you’re navigating big emotions, difficult behaviors, family changes, or simply feeling stuck, I meet you where you are and work alongside you rather than telling you what you “should” do.

Relational-Cultural Therapy (RCT): Our relationships can deeply shape how we see ourselves and the world around us. Relational-Cultural Therapy focuses on connection, belonging, and the ways relationships can either help us grow or leave us feeling disconnected and misunderstood.

I help clients explore patterns in their relationships, recognize what they need from others, and develop healthier ways of connecting. This can be especially meaningful for children, teens, and adults who feel misunderstood, isolated, or like they have to change who they are to fit in.

 Neuroaffirming care: Your child doesn’t need to be “fixed” for them to thrive. Neuroaffirming care recognizes that brains develop and experience the world in different ways, and those differences are not something to be ashamed of or erased.

I focus on understanding your child’s unique way of communicating, processing emotions, navigating sensory experiences, and connecting with others. Rather than asking, “How do we make them act more typical?” we explore, “What is your child communicating, what do they need, and how can we help them feel successful and understood?”

This approach can be especially supportive for neurodivergent children and teens who have spent a lot of time feeling like they don’t fit in. Therapy becomes a place where they can better understand themselves, build skills that genuinely work for them, and develop confidence in who they are.

I’m actively working toward greater fluency in American Sign Language (ASL) so I can continue expanding my ability to communicate with and support Deaf and hard-of-hearing clients and families. 

Outside of therapy, I’m happiest in the kitchen trying new recipes, getting lost in a good book, or unwinding with a favorite TV show. I believe those everyday moments of creativity, connection, and rest matter, too.