I approach COUNSELING with authenticity, depth, and compassion. 

Psychotherapy is the space to be real and honest about your life. After developing trust in the therapeutic relationship, it is typical that the masks of daily living come off. Wherever you might find yourself, I will meet you there as this process is emergent and created together. I invite and welcome all of who you are. I am highly relational which can make the space feel conversational and open. My intersecting identities including my Blackness and healing worldview inform my style of engaging as a psychologist and how I utilize my expertise to address any injuries and help you to uncover and raise up your strengths.

We may use words, movement, the fullness of silence, writing, art (if you are so creatively inclined) to help support the processing of feelings and experiences. Together, we seek to co-create the conditions for processing, integrating, healing, and growing. Counseling can be a challenging space that includes approaching raw feelings and experiences. For some people, this may feel counter to your socialization, but I hope that you trust that this process has the potential to serve you. The work in counseling is intended to be challenging but manageable within a strong therapeutic relationship that is respectful and honors human dignity.

My role as a psychologist is to help you gain clarity about what’s really going on in your mind, body, and spirit, in an effort to support you in revealing and practicing the methods and approaches to engender greater joy, creativity, re-connection, and equanimity in life.  Also, I approach therapy practically with a focus on discerning potential solutions to life difficulties. I listen deeply; I am attentive, and I am active and present in the session. I believe in the power of connected presence. I not only bring sensitivity and care but also my humorous and playful nature, when appropriate. We often do not play enough.

In therapy, we may place focus on identities and roles that are important to you whether that be your race or ethnicity, gender, sexuality, attractional orientation, religious/spiritual identities, or life roles such as a parent, partner, student, etc. I also may integrate meditation approaches to assist in cultivating greater awareness and intentionality in life. 

My approach to therapy integrates somatic, relational, wisdom, and cognitive-behavioral approaches, meaning that we may discuss and explore:

• Family, friend, partner, coworker relationship history and patterns

• Where emotions reside within the body and opportunities to promote the release of emotional tensions

• Building the capacity to actively move toward holistic needs

• Learning about the gifts of connection and interdependence

• How your thoughts, identities, emotions, and values interact to impact your holistic experience

• Cultural strengths and areas of resilience

• Ways to counteract the lies of social oppression

• Social and environmental factors that impact your experience

• Strategies to promote stress reduction and relaxation