Areas of Specialty

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) is a type of cognitive-behavioral therapy focused on fostering psychological flexibility. It encourages clients to accept their thoughts and feelings, rather than trying to control them, while also clarifying their values and committing to actions aligned with those values. Key components include mindfulness, values clarification, cognitive defusion, and committed action. ACT aims to help individuals lead richer, more meaningful lives while effectively managing psychological distress.

CBT is an evidence-based form of psychotherapy that focuses on the ways that a person’s cognitions, or thoughts, interact with emotions and behaviors. CBT teaches a specific set of skills, and is typically short-term (6-20 sessions). Within CBT, the specialized protocols in which I have expertise are: Exposure and Response Prevention (Ex/RP) for OCD, Prolonged Exposure (PE) for PTSD, and protocols designed for Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Specific Phobias, Panic Disorder, and habit disorders, including Trichotillomania (hair pulling) and Excoriation (skin picking).

While engaged in CBT treatment, clients will be asked to track progress toward goals and engage in weekly “homework” assignments outside of sessions.
CBT will include some combination of the following modes of treatment: individual therapy, family therapy, parent guidance, and/or group therapy.

Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is a specialized, mindfulness-based form of Cognitive Behavior Therapy designed to help adults, children, adolescents, and families more effectively regulate their emotions and behaviors. DBT has an overarching goal of enhancing quality of life, and has demonstrated success in treating self-injurious and suicidal behavior, borderline personality features, mood swings, interpersonal difficulties, and impulsivity. 

For clients without active high-risk behaviors*, I provide the four modes of evidence-based Standard DBT:

1. Individual behavior therapy

2. Instruction in the DBT Skills modules: Mindfulness, Distress Tolerance, Emotion Regulation, Interpersonal Effectiveness, and The Middle Path.

3. Phone coaching: I am accessible between sessions to DBT clients.

4. Consultation: I meet weekly with a team of DBT therapists to ensure I provide adherent, client-centered care. 

*Currently in my sole private practice, I am not able to provide the level of care and availability necessary to treat DBT clients struggling with very high risk behaviors. If I am not able to provide sufficient care, I will provide a referral to a qualified team of colleagues, and assist with the transition process.

For more information about ACT:

https://contextualscience.org/

For more information about CBT or OCD:

Beck Institute for Cognitive Therapy and ResearchAnxiety Disorders Association of America, ADAA

International OCD Foundation (IOCDF)

University of Pennsylvania Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety

Worry Wise Kids

JJ's Place - The Childhood OCD Project

For more information about DBT:

The Linehan Institute/Behavioral Tech

DBT-Linehan Board of Certification