Medical professionals expect that people will respond differently to medications; they therefore equip themselves with knowledge of a range of medical interventions. Likewise, in my work with patients, I consider the various ways people experience the world. I am flexible to different perspectives and changing cultures while maintaining a foundation that can guide the course of treatment to the patient’s ideal solid ground. I am open to dismantling the boxes of particular treatment modalities which can confine therapeutic possibilities. To provide a balanced service, I have developed a wide range of clinical skills and knowledge that allow me to integrate several modes of therapy into my work with patients; thereby respecting each individual’s unique emotional, physical, spiritual, and socioeconomic circumstances.
As a student of life, my passion is discovering ways we navigate the human condition that create meaningful experiences and relationships with the world around us.
My educational experience includes both poles of the therapy spectrum. I received my undergraduate degree at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, where the focus was Solution Focused and Strengths-based therapies (a non-medical model). I had two internships while an undergraduate: at the Crisis Hotline/Shelter for teenagers and at the Autism Society of North Carolina.
I chose to attend the Smith College School for Social Work to study psychodynamic psychotherapy techniques, a medical/patient focused perspective. Post graduate, I have completed programs for Dialectical Behavioral Training, Cognitive Therapy, Psychodynamic Diagnosis, and Mindfulness. While attending seminars, classes, and lectures have provided the foundation for my career, the bulk of my experience and passion for therapy have come from the professionals and patients I have worked with at two of the best academic hospitals in the country: Johns Hopkins Hospital and Duke University Medical Center.
While at Johns Hopkins, I provided outpatient psychotherapy to adults suffering from a range of psychiatric conditions. Part time, I provided Employee Assistance services to individuals, couples and families. During the last couple of years of my employment at Johns Hopkins, I was a psychiatric consultant to the Emergency Department. After receiving my clinical licenses, I began offering tutoring services to my colleagues who were transitioning their licensure from provisional to clinical.
I was recruited to Duke University, where I currently provide outpatient psychotherapy services in the psychiatry department’s residency clinic. In addition to my role as a therapist, I also supervise, lecture, and continue to provide test preparation sessions to colleagues. This position has afforded me opportunities to collaborate, educate, and work closely with psychiatry residents, physicians, and social workers across various medical disciplines.
