I am a Portland transplant, and have been living here for over ten years after moving from the Massachusetts and Rhode Island area. I carefully maintain my East Coast dialectic (Worcester, represent) and my Boston driving style. My belief system is strongly rooted in DIY punk rock culture, animal rights, speaking truth to power, and working really hard to be good at what I do.
My clinical orientation is rooted in the behavioral therapies, and I have specific expertise in cognitive behavioral therapy and dialectical behavioral therapy. I also choose to blend these perspectives with mindfulness skills. I believe that a life worth living requires connection to ones core values, and while pain is an inevitable aspect of life, therapy can work to alleviate suffering and create movement. My primary job in the field of psychology is as Associate Director and co-owner of the Portland DBT Institute where I do the vast majority of my clinical and research practice. I am proud to be board certified in DBT through the Linehan Board of Certification, board certified in Cognitive and Behavioral Therapy through the American Board of Professional Psychology, and offer full fidelity DBT through the Portland DBT Institute, and other evidence based treatments through Thrive, our sister clinic.
My clinical interests lie in the areas of therapy for high risk individuals, applications of evidence-based practice in non-dominant and oppressed populations, services to individuals needing high levels of confidentiality, and the prevention of the spread of pseudoscience.
My research interests include the translation of research to practice, multi-level modeling (e.g. HLM), psychiatric emergency room usage, program evaluation, and mental health services research.
In addition to doing clinical psychology work, I am active in mental health advocacy, the local music scene, and attempting to build various mechanical objects.
For complete information on my training or experience, feel free to contact me or read my CV and bio at my Portland DBT Institute staff page where my CV is more regularly updated.