About Me…

October 19th, 2008

As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LICSW) located in Dupont Circle, Washington, DC, I provide compassionate and affirming psychotherapy for individuals, couples, families and adolescents. I have specialized experience helping people who do not feel like they fit in – those who’ve been marginalized or dismissed based on their identities or experiences…

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Gender Therapist – Gender Therapy

September 19th, 2010

gender therapistMost people never question their gender – they don’t even realize that they have a gender identity.  It just is.  For others, the path is different.  If you identify as transgender, transsexual, Female to Male, Male to Female, Genderqueer, or any way other than Cisgendered, you know that path.  And sometimes, you may find it helpful to have a therapist journey with you.

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Poly-Friendly Therapy

August 30th, 2010

poly-friendly therapistJudgement.  I know you’ve felt it from people, maybe even from a therapist.  Judgement that your “lifestyle” isn’t healthy.  That there’s something wrong with your open relationship.  Maybe you’ve even been told that your intimate relationships are a sign that you can’t commit, you’re immature, or some other nonsense.

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Internalized Racism

June 14th, 2010

anti-racist therapistIn The Noonday Demon – Andrew Solomon’s book on depression – internalized racism is defined as self-doubt predicated on dominant social attitudes (pg. 196, Scribner, 2001).  In other words, the oppressive social attitude of white society that People of Color are less-than can manifest in a Person of Color as a lack of self-confidence.

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Demonstrating Willingness with Your Partner or Spouse

May 29th, 2010

couples therapyWhen I see a couple in the therapy room, they are typically at their wit’s end.  They’ve tried to fix things on their own and can’t see their way through it. Perhaps one partner blames the other.  Most likely, they’ve tried to talk over their concerns themselves, but end up fighting, arguing, or simply avoiding the issues.  They don’t feel connection with each other and often feel contempt.

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Why a Kink-Friendly & Kink-Aware Therapist?

May 20th, 2010

kink-friendly therapistDiscussing topics of fetish, fantasy, BDSM and other “kinks” demands that your therapist is non-judgmental.  So many times, folks have reported feeling judged or pathologized for their desires or fantasies, even when they find these desires to be joyful and fulfilling.  A kink-friendly therapist doesn’t judge.  A kink-friendly and aware therapist recognizes that there are many ways in which people express themselves, their identity, intimacy, and sexuality.

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Grief & Depression – What’s the Difference?

April 13th, 2010

depressionGrief is depression in proportion to circumstance; depression is grief out of proportion to circumstance.  So saysAndrew Solomon, the author “The Noonday Demon” (Scribner, 2001).  Mr. Solomon then proceeds to detail his often devastating experiences with major depression.

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Unresolved Trauma and Relationships

March 9th, 2010

couples counseling traumaDo you have a hard time trusting?  Do you find intimacy threatening?  Do you run from a relationship before it gets too serious?  If so, you’re not alone.  These are some of the difficulties survivors of abuse, sexual assault, rape and molestation report.  Not all survivors, of course, but enough to were it’s recognizable.

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A Decision to Heal

February 24th, 2010

PTSD treatmentHow does it feel to heal from sexual abuse?  What efforts do people make to once again feel healthy & strong, to regain trust?  A terrific resource is the book “Strong at the Heart” by Carolyn Lehman (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2005).  She makes space for eleven survivors of sexual abuse to tell their stories of healing and hope.

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A Mind Like The Sky

February 2nd, 2010

mindfulness psychotherapyI spent the weekend at a workshop exploring insights from mindfulness practices and psychotherapy.  Mindfulness practices include meditation, yoga, contemplative prayer, and a host of other activities.  One of the things that stuck with me was how both mindfulness practices and psychotherapy can help a person cultivate a mind like a sky.  But what exactly does that mean?

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Staying on Your Partner’s Island

January 14th, 2010

couples counselingAre you in a difficult situation with your partner or spouse?  Fighting, arguing, wondering if this will work?  If so, it’s not an unusual place to be.  Being in a committed relationship has many challenges.  Being vulnerable and trusting, especially when trust has been violated, is difficult.

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