My Background
I earned a doctoral degree in counseling psychology at Oklahoma State University and served as an active duty US Navy and Public Health Service Clinical Psychologist for 20 years. I trained and practiced at the National Naval Medical Center and Walter Reed National Military Medical Center as well as in deployed settings and overseas. I retired from uniformed service in fall 2020 to focus on my private practice and family life.
I am Board Certified in Clinical Psychology, licensed in Maryland, and have a postdoctoral master's degree in Psychopharmacology. I was licensed as a Medical Psychologist in Louisiana 2013-2021, a state that allows psychologists with specialized training to prescribe medications.
I have extensive experience treating our nation's uniformed service members and their families who have faced circumstances like these:
- Combat and sexual trauma
- Profound loss
- Geographic separation from family support
- Relationship distress
- Parenting challenges
- Depression and anxiety
- Issues with eating and body image
- Gender dysphoria
- Difficulty excelling professionally due to ADHD
I have specialized training and experience in treating gender-questioning and transgender clients and their families. I am trained in insight-oriented therapy approaches as well as cognitive-behavioral, narrative, and internal family systems modalities. I work from a place of radical acceptance, compassion, and inclusion.
When I'm not working, I enjoy camping with my family and friends, cooking, bluegrass music, hanging out with my dog, and practicing Iyengar yoga.
My Practice
I am an experienced clinical psychologist providing psychotherapy for adults through an integrated modality of office visits (in-person sessions offered intermittently throughout the year) and secure video teleconference technology. This allows my clients to establish a personal connection, and also to receive convenient regular care in their homes according to their schedules. I particularly enjoy working with synchronous video technology because my clients have experienced such satisfaction from this unique modality of care. My practice is tailored to busy professionals in Maryland who live at a distance, who don't have time to travel to appointments, or who need early morning appointment times.
My practice is especially well-suited for people who are struggling to find relief from symptoms or greater awareness about destructive patterns while also trying to juggle busy lives of work and family. I work closely with primary care colleagues and my psychiatry associate, Dr. Atwal, to combine psychotherapy and behavioral coaching with medication management when needed. We provide full-service individual mental health care around your busy schedule.