I have had the great opportunity to focus on working with folks navigating the waters of trauma/PTSD and OCD. Oddly enough, I think they function very similarly: PTSD and OCD both attempt to protect us from experiencing pain, and both try to reach that goal in different ways. Whether it be avoiding memories or checking something more times that we need to, both attempts are ways of us trying to feel safe and in control. Providing support for both of those experiences makes my heartbeat and really fills my cup.

As a therapist, I see my role as similar to that of a paleontologist. You bring me the bones the way you found them, and I help make sense of it. Sometimes that means figuring out how the bones got their in the first place, other times it’s figuring out why there are so many bones missing. And if you try to convince me the bone is something it very clearly is not, I’ll provide you the evidence so it can be classified accordingly. I achieve this in a variety of different ways, whether it be addressing your symptoms of OCD by engaging in controlled exposures or challenging your beliefs about yourself that have been heavily impacted by traumatic experiences.