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Everyone is welcome here. I am committed to supporting individuals of all sexualities, genders, races, and relationship structures. My goal is to create a space where you can show up authentically and practice curiosity toward every part of your experience and all parts of yourself - especially the ones that feel at odds. Together, we will work toward cultivating greater internal peace, discovering new pathways to vitality & pleasure, as well as greater connection to your Self and the people and values that matter to you!
Therapy works best when it’s a true collaboration. I am an active, relational therapist, which means I don't just listen—I engage. In our sessions, you’ll find a safe space to express yourself, gain insight and tools, while being met with supportive guidance and honest feedback necessary for real growth. Specializing in somatic psychotherapy for adults and couples, I use a body-awareness approach to help you access your innate capacity for self-regulation, healing, and pleasure. My work is deeply informed by Somatic Experiencing®, Attachment Theory, Interpersonal Neurobiology and Internal Family Systems, alongside practical tools from Mindfulness-based Cognitive Therapy and DBT. My background as a Clinical Sexologist allows me to guide individuals and couples as they seek to heal and strengthen their relationship and reclaim their sexual lives—fostering a deeper connection built on a sense of safety, security, and true embodiment. I am here to support you in relating more authentically to yourself and others, becoming more effective in your daily life, and reclaiming your sense of balance. I am guided by the belief that you already possess unique strengths and internal resources; my role is to help you honor and enhance them. At the heart of my practice is the recognition of our common humanity: the universal need to be truly seen and understood, and the pursuit of a life filled with connection, purpose, and pleasure. ABOUT MEI am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker in the State of North Carolina. After completing my Bachelors degree in Business Administration with a concentration in Organizational Behavior, my volunteer work as an overnight crisis center hotline counselor then as a rape crisis counselor significantly influenced my career path, leading me to enter graduate school and earn a Master of Social Work degree with a concentration in Mental Health in 1996 from San Diego State University. My training included clinical internships at a short-term acute residential treatment center, and at Kaiser Permanente’s Department of Psychiatry and Addiction Medicine in San Diego. I have worked with individuals, couples and groups throughout my career in home visit counseling, outpatient community mental health, inpatient psychiatric treatment, an AIDS service organization, a local birthing & wellness center for women, as well as individual and group private practices.
I work as a Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner, having completed a 3-year certificate training program with the Somatic Experiencing® Trauma Institute (SETI), now known as Somatic Experiencing® International (SEI). Using an SE® lens, I draw from a body-awareness approach to guide clients in stabilizing their nervous system and accessing their body's innate capacity towards self-regulation and co-regulation, wholeness and healing. SE® was developed by Peter Levine, PhD, a therapist, author and educator specializing in the treatment of chronic stress and tonic immobility (aka post-traumatic stress disorder). For more information on SE®, visit: http://www.traumahealing.com. I am a Certified Therapist in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing through the EMDR International Association. EMDR is an integrative psychotherapy approach containing elements of many effective psychotherapies, including psychodynamic, cognitive behavioral, interpersonal, experiential, and body-centered therapies. EMDR's effectiveness, particularly for PTSD, is supported by a broad base of research and can help dissipate negative thoughts and feelings associated with disturbing memories and traumatic experiences while helping the brain to reprocess negative events and maladaptive core beliefs. When appropriate, I use EMDR to treat PTSD, anxiety disorders, depression, and complicated grief. More information, a review of the research, and answers to frequent questions about EMDR can be found through the EMDR Institute, Inc. (http://www.emdria.org). |
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Somatic Experiencing® Practitioner Certified EMDR Therapist Certified Prepare/Enrich Facilitator Daring Way™ Trained Facilitator Clinical Sexologist & Certified Sex Coach* Clinical Case Consultant & LCSW Supervisor Approved SE Personal Session & Case Consultation Provider As a relationship & couples therapist, I draw from Stan Tatkin's Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy, the Gottman Method, Imago Relationship Therapy and Internal Family Systems to help couples strengthen their connection, navigate challenges, and thrive in their relationship. As a Certified Prepare/Enrich Facilitator, I assist couples at all stages of their relationship - from dating to married for decades - to develop relationship skills to create meaningful, positive change.
For a decade, I served as a Daring Way™ Trained Facilitator (DWTF), leading 8-week experiential groups focused on the research of Dr. Brené Brown. Through this work, I continue to help clients navigate vulnerability and shame while cultivating the courage and "daily practices that transform the way we live, love, parent, and lead." Early in my journey, I recognized a vital truth: our sexuality is fluid, evolving, and deeply tied to our sense of Self. Today, as a therapist specializing in trauma healing and shame resilience, I help clients move beyond just managing thoughts and feelings toward becoming truly embodied. Many clients share that sex and intimacy were often overlooked in their past therapeutic experiences—or worse, were sources of shame and misinformation. As a Clinical Sexologist, I bridge that gap. Drawing from Somatic Experiencing® (SE), interpersonal neurobiology, and my training as a Certified Sex Coach, I provide a safe, active space for individuals and couples, where together we work to dismantle shaming narratives and replace them with confidence, pleasure, and a deeply fulfilled sense of Self. Beyond my practice, I stay connected to the latest developments in the field through my work with organizations like the Somatic Experiencing® Trauma Institute and the World Association for Sexual Health. A long-time advocate for clinical excellence, I’ve provided clinical supervision for LCSW licensure in North Carolina since 2004 and have served as a Field Instructor for the School of Social Work at both UNC-Chapel Hill and UNC-Charlotte. Supporting the next generation of therapists and consultants is a vital part of my work. My commitment to clinical education includes my time as an adjunct instructor at UNC-Chapel Hill, teaching trauma and violence treatment at the graduate level. Today, I continue to partner with the UNC School of Social Work and AHEC as a Training Consultant. In this role, I provide advanced professional training for mental health practitioners on topics such as developmental trauma, resilience, somatic psychotherapies and anger management. |
