Psychotherapy Services & Specialties

I am a licensed clinical psychologist providing individual psychotherapy to ages 18 and older (or ANY age for treatment of tics/Tourette's or BFRBs such as hair pulling and skin picking).

The core of my approach is Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), which is a combination of behavioral and mindfulness techniques. It is an empirically supported approach. It is well-suited to treating a variety of difficulties and has been shown effective with many problems, such as anxiety and depression. I was trained in ACT by one of its creators. You can learn more about ACT here: https://contextualscience.org/act_for_the_public

I enjoy helping clients decrease avoidant behaviors, increase self-compassion, and find motivation to move toward a more fulfilling life.

I see ALL ages for tics/Tourette's and BFRBs (hair pulling, skin picking, nail biting, etc.). For all other treatment I see clients age 18 and older.

I enjoy seeing clients for a variety of problems, including anxiety and depression.

M y particular specialties are Tics/Tourette's, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and related Obsessive Compulsive Spectrum Disorders--including Body Focused Repetitive Behavior Disorders, such as Hair Pulling (Trichotillomania) and Skin Picking.

I was trained in delivering CBIT (Comprehensive Behavioral Intervention for Tics/Tourette's) and AEBT (Acceptance Enhanced Behavior Therapy for Trichotillomania) by a creator of those therapies in a Tic and Trichotillomania specialty clinic. I was a therapist in research studies of those treatments.

Tics and Tourette's

Hair Pulling, Skin Picking, etc. (BFRBs)

You can learn more about disorders such as hair pulling and skin picking here: https://www.bfrb.org/
You can learn more about treatment options for BFRBs here: https://www.bfrb.org/faqs/diagnosis-treatment-what-treatments-are-available-for-bfrbs and here:https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36099688/

OCD

For OCD, my approach is a combination of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy with exposure exercises (ERP).
You can read about ERP here: https://iocdf.org/about-ocd/ocd-treatment/erp/

PTSD

I also treat trauma and PTSD with Written Exposure Therapy (WET), a brief structured treatment that can be used for any type of trauma. You can learn more about it here: https://www.ptsd.va.gov/professional/treat/txessentials/written_exposure_therapy.asp

I passionately believe that every person has inherent dignity and worth, and has a right to a joyful, healthy life. I am committed to helping each of my clients work toward that goal. I respect every client as an individual and as a partner in choosing personalized treatment approaches.

I am LGBTQ+ friendly. I will work on understanding all parts of your perspective and background--including your race or ethnicity, your economic or employment status, disability status, your age, your gender, your relationship status--and I will ask your guidance in helping me understand your world as much as possible.

I am totally committed to the welfare of each of my clients. I believe in racial, economic, and environmental justice.

Telehealth (video conferencing) sessions are always an option for clients living in Virginia. Sessions are on a web-based service that is compliant with HIPAA standards (TheraNest). Research has generally shown that telehealth is equally effective when compared to traditional face-to-face sessions in an office.

To save you time and provide information to help you find what you need faster, here are some services I can't provide:

I do not have testing materials and do not provide formal assessments (I can't help you with comprehensive testing: psychological, educational, developmental, or disability evaluations or reports).
I also can't take worker's comp cases, Medicaid, or Medicare.
I avoid any involvement in legal issues or court cases (though I will provide you a letter indicating you have received services and attended sessions if you need it).
I also can't provide crisis services or after hours availability--if you feel you need that level of care, I recommend trying Blue Ridge Behavioral Health or another clinic with those integrated services.