Long before I became a therapist or a professor, I was someone who wanted to understand people — what draws us together, what gets in the way, and what it feels like to have a sense of belonging. That curiosity has never left me. It drove me through decades of research and teaching, and it is what brings me into the therapy room every day with genuine interest in those sitting across from me.
I have called North Carolina home since 2008, and over the years this state has woven itself into who I am. There is something about this place — its people, its landscapes, its pace of life — that I find myself returning to whenever I need to remember what matters. Long walks on NC greenway trails have become one of the ways I make space for clarity, in my work and in my life, and I have learned to trust what reveals itself when I simply put one foot in front of the other.
I tend to my own wellbeing with the same intentionality I bring to my work. Connection with family and friends anchors me. My husband and I find our way back to each other through collaborative video games — a small but meaningful reminder that play is a legitimate language of partnership. My dogs offer the kind of uncomplicated, generous presence that is genuinely healing, and I try to receive it as the gift it is. On harder days, I reach out to a close friend for guidance, my therapist for support, a good book, something worth cooking, or a sticker book — which I offer without apology as one of the more underrated tools for quieting a busy mind.
At my core, I am curious, creative, compassionate, and humorous — and I’ll be specific about that last one, because I think it matters. My humor tends toward the sarcastic, the quick-witted, and the playful. I don’t believe therapy has to be somber to be meaningful, and I’ve found that a well-timed moment of levity can sometimes open a door that nothing else could. I am a lifelong learner who believes that staying open to new understanding is not just a professional value but a way of being alive. I bring all of that into the room with me, and I think it makes me a better therapist, and a more genuine person.