curious about who i am?
That’s fair. Here’s some background info!
I am…
A white queer cis woman living with chronic illness (I experience both privilege and oppression)
An antiracist feminist (the intersectional and trans-affirming kind)
A social worker (I like helping people)
A former dieter and recovering perfectionist (and a Certified Body Trust Provider)
A baker (chocolate chip cookies and birthday cakes are my specialty)
A proud auntie (find me at little league baseball games and Kindergarten graduations)
A Taurus sun and Enneagram 1 (if you’re into that sort of thing)
my background
I graduated with my Masters in Social Work from Portland State University in 2020. I have worked in school, community mental health, nonprofit, and private practice settings providing assessments, therapy, skill building, and case management to children, teens, adults, and families. I am currently registered as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (L16103) with the Oregon Board of Social Workers. I am a Certified Body Trust Provider and a member of the Association for Size Diversity and Health (ASDAH).
Originally from the Midwest, I grew up in the conservative Christian suburbs with divorced parents, a blended family, and six siblings. I moved to Portland in 2015 in hopes of a fresh start and finding my people. I love the PNW and the community I’ve found here, including my wife, my brother and his partner, and our chosen family. I love neighborhood walks and coffee shop pastries, audiobooks and podcasts, documentaries about cults, baking, crafting, and home DIY projects.
My own transformative experience with therapy brought me to this career path. I remember sitting in my therapist’s office in high school thinking, “I want to sit in that other chair someday.” Because of this dream, I thought I would major in Psychology in college, but I gravitated to Sociology instead, fascinated with the ways in which sociopolitical systems functioned to privilege some and oppress others.
After struggling with an eating disorder for many years, understanding the ways in which our society’s culture of obedience to keep us docile and distracted was my way out — I even wrote my senior thesis applying theories of embodiment and policing to pro-eating disorder websites. Through years of self-exploration and healing, I see myself on a lifelong journey with no set end point, and I am honored to share space with others on their own unique journey.
my clients
Clients describe me as warm, personable, and open-hearted. I show up as myself and resist unnecessary professionalism; I wear t-shirts during sessions and if you want to know what I’m watching on TV or my favorite pizza spot in town, I’ll gladly tell you. I don’t use pathologizing language and I challenge my clients to think beyond what’s been prescribed to them. I see us as two humans in relationship, and it’s not my job to “fix” you. We are both people first and foremost — and at the same time, there is an inherent power dynamic that I am committed to naming and exploring.
My specialties include helping people:
recover from disordered eating, chronic dieting, compulsive exercise, and body shame. I approach this work from the lenses of Body Trust, Intuitive Eating, Health at Every Size, and fat liberation. Click here to learn more about this.
heal from childhood trauma, sexual violence, high-control religion, systemic oppression, and burnout.
navigate being a healthcare provider, healer, or helper.
I cherish conversations where we explore: past trauma’s impact on your relationship to your body and right to authenticity and autonomy; how you want to show up in the world and what values you hold; how systems of oppression have caused you harm; and how you can manage day-to-day stressors while navigating healing.
Many of my clients are neurodivergent, both self- and formally-diagnosed. While I do not provide formal assessments for Autism and ADHD, I am committed to providing an affirming space for all neurotypes. I have experience helping folks manage meltdowns, gain neurodivergent-friendly grounding skills that meet sensory needs, reduce shame around special interests and sensory needs, and embrace all the beautiful parts of neurodiversity.
My Philosophy for Therapy
Therapy is not only something that can better your life in the moment — it’s a gift you’re giving your future self. You’re never too young or too old to learn about yourself! And though you will continue to change through different stages of your life, your future self will thank you for taking care of yourself every step of the way.
A lot of people resist therapy because they don’t want to be seen as “broken” or labeled with a diagnosis. I get that fear, but that’s not how I operate. There is nothing you can say that will make me think you’re broken, inadequate, or unable to heal. I look beyond any diagnosis that could be handed to you, and instead focus on the person you are inside, your strengths and dreams, and the barriers that stand in your way of finding peace.
Instead of pathologizing, I get curious.
Instead of criticizing, I explore nuance.
Instead of blaming, I celebrate the effort you’re making.
My approach to therapy is eclectic, because there is no “one size fits all” when it comes to mental health. I pull from narrative therapy, feminist therapy, parts work, and attachment theory. I am certified in EMDR and incorporate this into trauma work. DBT skills and finding nuance and middle spaces can be helpful additions to deeper work. The principles of trauma-informed care, harm reduction, collective liberation, and body sovereignty are my guideposts in this work.