Specialty Areas

Play Therapy, ADOS-2 Certified, Autism Play Therapy Certified, and Certificate of Interdisciplinary Early Education.

Education

• Master of Social Work (MSW)
  • Virginia Commonwealth University

Clinical Profile & Philosophy

My philosophy is that play is the universal language for children and play is the best way to express themselves.  I have been working in the mental health field since 2011, all of it working with infants toddlers and young children providing assessments, individual therapy, and group therapy.  I have experience in the Autism and ID/DD population, completing developmental and behavioral assessments for infants, toddlers, and adults to help determine their needs for community supports, and develop plans that meet the needs of the individual and the family.  Additionally, I have worked in crisis response for children and adults, implementing de-escalation techniques, and connecting them to community resources.  I use a person-centered approach with a trauma informed lens to best fit the needs of my clients.  My areas of clinical expertise include teaching prosocial skills, developing emotional identification and emotional regulation, improving communication skills, empowering positive identity development, and building self-esteem. I am pursuing training & supervision to become a Registered Play Therapist and am passionate about working with children and their families.  I am a trauma-informed therapist who uses Child Centered Play Therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Developmental Theory, and Behavioral Theory and strive to identify creative interventions to be used in therapy to increase the level of engagement and communication and allow for a less threatening method for expression.

Fun Fact

I enjoy spending time with my husband and grandchildren, traveling, and listening to live music.