"Know thyself’- inscription on the Temple of Apollo at Delph
i
One of the most rewarding aspects of life is deeply knowing oneself; however, it is challenging to do this alone for many reasons, but primarily because we all have an unconscious that greatly influences our conscious mind without our direct awareness.
My role is to build and foster a safe, healing relationship to explore what you don’t know about yourself to expand your freedom and choices in your life.
I believe that a deep, authentic therapeutic relationship with a highly trained, dedicated psychoanalytic clinician offers an experience unlike any other. Such a connection provides the foundation for a dynamic, generative process that helps people face and overcome life’s most difficult challenges. Within a therapeutic relationship, individuals can safely engage in meaningful inner and interpersonal exploration, fostering self-knowledge, acceptance, creativity, trust, truth, love, and resilience. Over time, this work supports genuine internal change that paves the way for real external transformation, allowing people to create lives that are more satisfying and aligned with their true selves. My perspective is shaped by over a decade of clinical experience, personal growth through this work, and a tested faith in the process for those who seek it. In my experience, this approach is often most helpful for those who haven’t found lasting relief through other types of therapies and/or psychotropic medication. I offer a treatment path that typically suits those disenchanted with the mechanistic approach of mainstream mental health care, who are seeking not just help, but a profoundly soulful, attuned exploration in relationship that grants freedom in their life—something truer, more lasting, and alive to the whole of who they are.
While I work with people from all walks of life, I have extensive experience working with business owners, executives, college students (undergrad/graduate), academics, farmers, engineers, creatives, sex workers, healthcare providers, first responders, mothers, and military service members. I am also familiar working with individuals from a variety of spiritual, religious, and philosophical backgrounds, including Roman Catholic, Christian, Latter-Day Saints (Mormon), Jewish, Atheist, Pagan/Wiccan, Gnostic, Agnostic, New Age, Buddhist, and Hindu traditions. In addition, I have particular expertise in helping those affected by poverty, fringe communities, cults, and highly dysfunctional family or social systems where psychological, physical, economic, or sexual abuse—and the normalization and negation of that abuse—have been chronic and pervasive.
As with physical healing, emotional healing requires patience, effort, and the willingness to face discomfort. True change arises through commitment and perseverance rather than quick fixes. While short-term therapies or medications may provide temporary relief, they often fail to address the deeper roots of psychic suffering. In my experience, long-term psychodynamic and psychoanalytic work offers the insight and growth necessary for lasting transformation. In the safety of a supportive therapeutic relationship, painful feelings can become not only tolerable but also deeply transformative through understanding. Together, we can strive to understand and integrate your emotions, nurturing self-compassion, insight, and fostering more fulfilling ways of being. The psychoanalytic process often helps patients discover new internal capacities to love, work, and live with greater satisfaction. Respectively, my work is grounded in psychoanalytic principles, particularly classical and contemporary Freudian and British Object Relations theories, while also drawing from the wisdom of art, classical literature, nature, nursing, anthropology, sociology, biology, and environmental perspectives. I tailor my approach to the unique needs of each individual, couple, family, or group—integrating various modalities as appropriate, but always guided by psychoanalytic ways of thinking.
To engage in meaningful, transformative work, meeting at least once per week is essential. Less frequent sessions leave too much space between for the sustained exploration and continuity that true change requires. In addition to psychoanalytic psychotherapy, I offer holistic psychiatric care as a triple board-certified nurse practitioner. This includes thoughtful, minimalist psychotropic medication management, as well as support for lifestyle and wellness integration—incorporating gut health, herbalism, nutrition, and assistance with de-prescribing for those wishing to reduce or discontinue medications. I do not initiate or maintain prescriptions for controlled or addictive substances (such as stimulants, sedatives, benzodiazepines, or certain pain medications) under any circumstances. Rather than masking symptoms, I view discomfort and emotional distress as meaningful signals—messages to be acknowledged, explored, and understood as part of the healing process. In my experience, it is through facing and working through suffering and grieving that we move toward authenticity, fulfillment, and profound well-being. Suffering is only truly unbearable when faced in isolation, and I am here alongside your journey.
I provide care both in person at my office in Canandaigua, in New York’s Finger Lakes region, and virtually for patients in Alaska, Arizona, California, Florida, Massachusetts, Michigan, Nevada, New York, Oregon, and Washington State. While virtual sessions offer valuable accessibility and convenience, I strongly encourage all patients to meet with me in person at least once per year.