Ravenswood, North Michigan Avenue
Q) Did you have a career before becoming a therapist?
A) I was a librarian, gas station attendant, call center manager, researcher, and the Easter bunny.
Q) Why/what made you become a therapist?
A) I have always been a good listener, the friend people came to for advice and was able to offer a new perspective. That’s part of being a therapist. You have to look at things from as many angles as you could come up with, because somebody is stuck at looking at the problem in only one way.
Q) What are your specialties/areas of interest?
A) I enjoy working with anger both individually and in relationships. My approach to anger management focuses on increasing frustration tolerance and impulse control by understanding triggers, identifying physical cues, recognizing thoughts, considering consequences, implementing solutions, choosing behaviors, and promoting expression.
Q) What self-care activities do you do/find helpful?
A) I like to go to yoga, take my dog for a walk, listen to jazz, cook, and garden.
Q) Why do you feel it’s important to seek counseling?
A) I believe that when individuals feel in control of their situations and their lives, their depression and anxiety are replaced with feelings of security, confidence, competence, identity, responsibility, belonging, and self-respect, which are prerequisites for success at home and at work.
Q) Who can benefit from therapy?/How can it help?
A) Therapy can benefit anyone who would like to manage their emotions better. Therapy can help people to improve their interpersonal skills in communication, listening, judgment and impulse control. By learning about forgiveness, managing expectations, changing self-talk, improving optimism, and being empathic, we can all lead happier, healthier lives.