Background and Professional Values

I am a clinical health psychologist based in New York, NY. I am originally from Chicago, and went to college at the University of Iowa where I studied Psychology and Nonfiction Writing. I then moved to New York for my PhD in Clinical Psychology, where I specialized in couple and family psychology (Stony Brook University) and the translation of therapy techniques to Emergency Medicine and Outpatient Brain Injury Rehabilitation settings (Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital).

I then moved to Boston, MA to complete a fellowship at Massachusetts General Hospital/Harvard Medical School in the Center for Health Outcomes and Interdisciplinary Research (MGH CHOIR), which specializes in technology-enhanced mind-body intervention development for chronic health conditions. My work at CHOIR focused on the development and adaptation of technology-enhanced interventions designed to prevent emotional distress and promote resiliency in couples and families impacted by neurological conditions, including brain injury and dementia. Recently, I moved back to New York and serve as an Assistant Professor in the Brain Injury Research Center at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai. My current work is focused on increasing access to brain health interventions for marginalized / violence exposed individuals, including LGBTQ+ identifying individuals and those exposed to interpersonal violence.

I am a first generation college student and was raised in a working class household with multiple generations of family members. These experiences fundamentally shaped my desire to pursue Clinical Psychology, and work to support families with caregiving needs. I believe that the most effective therapy approaches are designed “from the ground up” by soliciting input directly from patients and families themselves, as well as from other caregivers (nurses, social workers, physicians) responsible for promoting health and wellbeing in the context of chronic and serious illness.

My personal values influence my professional values, and include a focus on collectivist care, humility, respect for all persons, and activism. I am committed to dismantling societal systems of oppression— including in medical settings — with the goal of building more equitable environments. My work is influenced by cutting-edge research and theory, as well as narratives, philosophers, spiritual teachers, musicians, and artists. In my free time, I enjoy running, reading, dancing, and discovering new music.

Education and Training

I earned my BA in Psychology and Nonfiction Writing from the University of Iowa. I then obtained my PhD in Clinical Psychology from Stony Brook University, where I completed two year-long advanced practicum training experiences in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine at Mount Sinai Hospital.

In 2019-2021 I completed my fellowship at the Integrated Brain Health Clinical and Research Program (IBHCRP; now MGH CHOIR) at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH)/ Harvard Medical School (HMS). At MGH/HMS I delivered clinical care in inpatient and outpatient settings, conducted research, and supervised trainees at various stages (volunteers, undergraduate, MA-level, PhD students and postdoctoral fellows). In 2021 I was promoted to Staff Psychologist (MGH) and Assistant Professor (MGH/HMS) where I served as clinical and research staff for two years.

In 2023 I began a new role as Assistant Professor at the Brain Injury Research Center (BIRC) at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, with appointments in Rehabilitation Medicine, Geriatrics, and Neurology. I currently serve as a principal investigator on a 5-year federally funded research initiative to increase family support following dementia diagnoses and a separate study that aims to develop an AI-based screening tool for emotional distress in the context of early dementia. I continue to supervise clinical research in Neurosciences Intensive Care Units across the country and mentor postdoctoral fellows on the incorporation of patient-caregiver “dyadic” interventions in the context of neurological conditions.

Clinical Expertise and Specialty Training

I have expertise treating a variety of individual concerns, including adjustment to life stressors, relationship/ interpersonal strain depression, anxiety, ADHD, grief/bereavement, trauma, and PTSD.

My approach largely involves Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT) approaches, with a foundation in mindfulness- and compassion-focused techniques. I integrate a variety of therapy modalities and frameworks (psychodynamic, interpersonal, emotion-focused, existential/humanistic, feminist) based on the needs and preferences of my patients. In addition, I utilize historical, philosophical, and spiritual teachings to help my patients identify and find harmony in contradictions, balance acceptance and change, and pursue valued living in the midst of stress and significant adversity.