A Little About Me

I am both a Licensed Psychologist and a Nationally Certified School Psychologist.  What this means is that I bring a unique perspective to my work with you that includes both clinical therapy skills as well as a deep knowledge of education, disabilities, and systems-level perspectives.  I specialize in working with young adults, teens, children, and parents and combine my knowledge of education with psychology to help families.

I went into this profession with the goal of helping others become their happiest and most successful selves. My heart has always been focused on prevention, but I recognize that is not enough for many of my clients.  My goal is to help you feel comfortable, safe, and heard in each and every visit.  Although I have a lot of clinical expertise, you are the expert of your own experience and together we can share this journey toward growth and change.

When I'm not at work, I'm likely enjoying my time in my other full-time job as a mom, trying out new recipes, or spending time in nature.  Or maybe just taking a few minutes to read a fun novel with a hot cup of coffee.

My Approach in a Nutshell

First and foremost, my goal with every client is to create a trusting working relationship. I use a variety of approaches in my work with you, including cognitive behavioral strategies, goal setting and problem solving, mindfulness strategies, social skills training, and executive function skills training.  I am a believer in the science behind therapy and intervention and apply research-based approaches to my work whenever possible, including taking care to make clear treatment plans with you and monitoring your progress.  I also am adept at modifying approaches and materials to meet client needs, which could include anything from using visual prompts to someone with autism, to incorporating play and games with a child, to sitting down and actually creating a home behavioral plan with a parent during our session.  My goal is to meet every client at their own unique starting point and work collaboratively with you to help you reach your goals for positive change. 

My Professional Experience

I arrived at this place of owning my own private practice after a variety of professional experiences that I believe make working with me a beneficial and helpful experience.  My past professional roles have included working in a small group practice as a Licensed Psychologist, being a systems coach and professional development specialist at the state level, teaching as a graduate school lecturer, and practicing as a school psychologist at nearly every grade level.  Before starting graduate school almost 20 years ago, I also had the privilege of working with adults with disabilities to help them remain at home and living with their families. That experience and the families that I worked with still continue to inspire me each day.

Regarding the details of my training, I earned my PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in Educational Psychology.  I completed my post-doctoral residency in a group practice in the Madison area and my pre-doctoral internship in the APA-approved Illinois School Psychology Internship Consortium.  I also completed the Maternal Child Health Leadership Education in Neuro-developmental Disabilities (MCH-LEND) training program at the Waisman Center at UW-Madison.  I was awarded the University of Wisconsin-Madison's O'Shea Fellowship for my doctoral dissertation and have presented at numerous professional conferences across the state and country. I am committed to lifelong learning and keeping up with the most relevant research and practice guidelines so that I can offer the highest level of care and support to my clients.