Issues Addressed
Anxiety-related disorders and emotion regulation difficulties.
Helping build more meaningful lives not controlled by anxiety
or other painful emotions.
I specialize in treating anxiety-related disorders and emotion regulation difficulties
using highly effective, evidence-based treatments delivered virtually via telehealth.
I have helped countless others relate more skillfully to anxiety and other challenging emotions, and I have extensive experience in providing compassionate, tailored care for the following conditions:
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder
Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD) is a mental health disorder that consists of both obsessions and compulsions. Obsessions are thoughts, images, ideas, or urges that are experienced as intrusive and unwanted and that cause significant anxiety and distress. Compulsions are mental or overt behaviors that are performed in hopes of reducing the anxiety or distress caused by obsessions or that are performed in hopes of preventing something bad from happening.
OCD can present in many different ways. I treat all forms of OCD, including (but not limited to) the following:
- Contamination OCD
- Emotional Contamination OCD
- Existential OCD*
- Harm OCD
- Health-Related OCD
- Identity-Related OCD
- Magical Thinking OCD
- Not-Just-Right OCD
- Perfectionism OCD
- Pedophilia OCD
- Perinatal or Postpartum OCD
- Real Event OCD
- Relationship OCD
- Scrupulosity OCD
- Sensorimotor OCD
- Sexual OCD
- Sexual Orientation OCD
*including depersonalization/derealization (DPDR)
I treat all forms of OCD using Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) Therapy, which is the gold-standard treatment for OCD. I work collaboratively with each individual to tailor treatment to their unique symptoms and goals, augmenting ERP with other evidence-based modalities, as needed. Learn more about ERP.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
PTSD is a mental health condition that can develop in the wake of a traumatic event such as combat exposure, childhood physical or sexual abuse, sexual or physical assault, a natural disaster, a severe car or plane crash, a sudden and severe medical event, the unexpected death of a loved one, a shooting, or a terror attack. Although most people experience distressing reactions following a trauma, these symptoms often decline naturally within a few months. For some, however, these symptoms continue to persist and may lead to the development of PTSD. Symptoms of PTSD include:
- Re-experiencing symptoms (e.g., intrusive memories; flashbacks; nightmares)
- Avoidance symptoms (e.g., avoiding trauma-related thoughts, feelings, and reminders)
- Arousal and reactivity symptoms (e.g., startling easily; difficulty falling or staying asleep)
- Cognition and mood symptoms (e.g., thinking that the world is unsafe; feeling detached from others)
I treat PTSD, including Complex PTSD, using Prolonged Exposure (PE) Therapy, which is a highly effective, front-line treatment for PTSD. I work collaboratively with each individual to tailor treatment to their unique symptoms and goals, augmenting PE with other evidence-based modalities, as needed. Learn more about PE.
Panic Disorder
Panic disorder is characterized by recurrent, sudden, and intense waves of fear and physical distress (i.e., panic attacks) that occur at least some of the time without any identifiable trigger. These episodes of panic consist of at least four of the following symptoms:
- Racing or pounding heart rate
- Sweating
- Trembling or shaking
- Shortness of breath or a feeling of suffocation
- Choking feelings
- Chest pain or discomfort
- Dizziness, lightheadedness, or feeling faint
- Nausea or abdominal distress
- Fear of dying, losing control, or going “crazy”
- Hot flashes or chills
- Numbness or tingling sensations
- Depersonalization or derealization
I treat panic disorder using exposure therapy, with a heavy focus on interoceptive exposures to feared bodily sensations. I work collaboratively with each individual to tailor treatment to their unique symptoms and goals, augmenting exposure therapy with other evidence-based modalities, as needed. Learn more about exposure therapy.
Agoraphobia
Agoraphobia is a mental health condition involving intense fear and avoidance of places or situations where escape might be difficult or where help might not be available in the event of panic-like symptoms. Common feared situations include:
- Being in open spaces (e.g., parking lots or bridges)
- Being in enclosed places (e.g., shops or theaters)
- Being in a crowded place
- Using public transportation
- Standing in line
- Being alone away from home
I treat agoraphobia using exposure therapy, which is the gold-standard treatment for anxiety disorders. I work collaboratively with each individual to tailor treatment to their unique symptoms and goals, augmenting exposure therapy with other evidence-based modalities, as needed. Learn more about exposure therapy.
Specific Phobias
Specific phobias are defined by intense, irrational fear and avoidance of certain objects, situations, or activities that pose little or no danger. Common fears include:
- Animals, reptiles, or insects
- Heights
- Storms
- Water
- Blood, injections, or injuries
- Flying
- Driving
- Elevators
- Enclosed spaces
- Choking
- Vomiting (emetophobia)
- Loud sounds
I treat specific phobias using exposure therapy, which is the gold-standard treatment for anxiety disorders. I work collaboratively with each individual to tailor treatment to their unique symptoms and goals, augmenting exposure therapy with other evidence-based modalities, as needed. Learn more about exposure therapy.
Illness Anxiety Disorder
Illness anxiety disorder (also known as health anxiety) is characterized by intense and persistent fear of having or acquiring a serious medical illness, despite absent or no more than mild physical pain. Illness anxiety disorder symptoms can include:
- Overusing medical care
- Checking for signs of illness
- Using the internet or AI to research about illness
- Seeking reassurance
- Avoiding being around sick people
- Avoiding doctors or hospitals
- Avoiding hearing or seeing information about illness
I treat illness anxiety disorder using exposure therapy, which is the gold-standard treatment for anxiety disorders. I work collaboratively with each individual to tailor treatment to their unique symptoms and goals, augmenting exposure therapy with other evidence-based modalities, as needed. Learn more about exposure therapy.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
GAD involves excessive, uncontrollable, and persistent worry about various aspects of everyday life. Worries may shift from one thing to another and commonly center around health, finances, family, and work or school. In addition, these worries are accompanied by at least three of the following physical symptoms, more days than not for at least 6 months:
- Restlessness
- Fatigue
- Concentration difficulties
- Irritability
- Muscle tension
- Sleep disturbances
I treat GAD using exposure therapy, which is the gold-standard treatment for anxiety disorders. I work collaboratively with each individual to tailor treatment to their unique symptoms and goals, augmenting exposure therapy with other evidence-based modalities, as needed. Learn more about exposure therapy.
Emotion Dysregulation
Emotion dysregulation involves difficulties managing the intensity, duration, and expression of emotions, resulting in one or more of the following:
- Impulsive actions that are later regretted
- Intense verbal outbursts
- Irritability
- Frequent mood swings
- Shutting down when overwhelmed
- Relationship difficulties
I treat emotion dysregulation using Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Skills Training and—when working with parents—Emotion‑Savvy Parenting. I work collaboratively with each individual to tailor treatment to their unique symptoms and goals, augmenting these approaches with other evidence-based modalities, as needed. Learn more about DBT Skills Training and Emotion‑Savvy Parenting.