I often say that I found a home within counseling profession through a process of elimination. Like most, I did not always have a concrete plan, nor did I know what I was impassioned to do in life. As a teenager, I always knew I wanted to learn more about people and the way we think, so I went to college with a psychology degree in mind. While studying for my bachelor’s degree at the University of Pittsburgh, I got involved in research, teaching, and journalism, but none of it truly resonated with me. These experiences lacked the deeper sense of connection I was looking for in a career.

College brought along a new set of challenges to my personal life and identity. Being a queer person who was not out and proud, I often felt trapped and untruthful in my relationships with others. I struggled to maintain healthy bonds with friends, I shut out my family, and I tried to bury everything I was feeling. I thought that my negative thoughts might eventually disappear altogether if I pushed them away. When I felt I could not manage the confusion and distress any longer, I sought out counseling. Engaging in productive work with a therapist gave me the clarity and growth that was long overdue for me at the time. These personal experiences have impassioned me to be that same source of validation and support for others.

What I am passionate about today is applying what I have learned to real-world practices that make a difference. In 2023, I graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a dual Master’s degree in clinical rehabilitation and mental health counseling. In other words, my graduate education prioritized the integration of mental and physical health, and provided considerations for how disability can impact a person’s life. While working as an intern for Elliot Counseling, I completed training in EMDR therapy to further my competencies in the mental health field. I welcome clients who would like to process traumatic or adverse memories using EMDR and I am eager to collaborate with you in creating a safe environment for this therapeutic process. While in graduate school, I also worked in clinical research studying inpatient substance use treatment and possible prevention strategies for treatment dropout. I truly enjoyed this work alongside my counselor education because I was able to bridge the gap between research and counseling practice.

I am grateful to be a part of Elliot Counseling and to work with such valuable colleagues and clients. I work from an integrative approach to help anyone experiencing major life transitions, anxiety, trauma, and relational issues (to name a few topics). I am also LGBTQIA+ affirmative and welcome discussions of identity, orientation, and transition. I look forward to welcoming you.