You are whole. You are simply unfolding.
That experience opened the doorway to the body. I went on to attend silent retreats, become a certified Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) practitioner, MBSR facilitator and studied Trauma-Informed Yoga. This somatic work became my liferaft; it taught me how to actively regulate a fried nervous system that had been stuck in an emergency state for decades. I stopped trying to intellectualize my pain and finally came home to my body.
The Gift of Impermanence
At 49, my father passed away. Losing the man who always saw me as whole forced me to step fully into the reality of Impermanence. I had to learn how to create space for both grief and joy to coexist. Through this loss, I identified the "asshole voice" in my head—the inner critic—and realized I didn't have to believe its stories. Through Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Metta (Loving-Kindness) meditation, I learned to accept the messy, flawed, and beautifully human parts of myself that I had spent decades trying to fix.
Awakening at 55
Now, at 55, I realize that every crisis was simply an unfolding. I have peeled back the layers of societal expectations to find an unshakeable core. I’ve learned to love myself, flaws and all, and I’ve moved from a life of reactivity to one of intentionality. I have learned that this is a lifelong journey; I don't have all the answers, because I am still unfolding, too.
I spent my 30s in survival mode. After a divorce, I found myself in Florida with my family still in New York. I thought the change in scenery would change my state of mind, but I soon learned a difficult truth: The Hungry Ghost follows you.
In Buddhist psychology the "Hungry Ghost" represents that insatiable craving for validation or safety that can never be filled from the outside. I had moved from the high-pressure world of Sony Pictures in Manhattan, but I brought my internal dialogue with me. The panic attacks and the high-functioning anxiety weren't left in NYC; they were living inside me, waiting for the next thing to "fix."
The Second Act: Facing the Mirror
My 40s were my awakening. I looked in the mirror and finally saw the woman behind the mask of competence. She was utterly exhausted from the performance of "doing." I realized that no matter how far I ran, I would always be in survival mode until I stopped and sat with the ghost. I decided to surrender. I went back to school for my Master’s in Mental Health Counseling and dove headfirst into the "rabbit hole" of healing. My path led me to Jon Kabat-Zinn’s MBSR course. It was during that introductory training that I experienced a severe nocturnal panic attack—and for the first time, instead of running, I stayed. That night, my breath became my best friend.
The Journey to Wholeness: My Second Act
The Myth of the Fresh Start
Our Pathway to Integration: Balancing Mind and Body
We spend our lives trapped in our analytical minds, trying to "solve" our anxiety like a math problem. Real growth happens when we stop treating our thoughts, emotions, and physical bodies as separate issues, and instead bring them into balance. My practice is an integrative bridge that combines modern Western clinical science with deep Eastern roots—balancing cognitive clarity with somatic wisdom to meet you exactly where you are.
Third-Wave & Mindfulness-Based Therapies
We use the structure of DBT, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) not as rigid academic rules, but as supportive, experiential tools. Rather than fighting the thoughts that fuel imposter syndrome or panic, these approaches help you shift your relationship to your mind. By pairing these with Buddhist psychology, you learn to stay anchored in the present moment, allowing the inner critic to become background noise rather than a narrative you have to follow.
Because chronic burnout and over-functioning inevitably ripple into your personal life, I also incorporate The Gottman Method framework within our individual sessions. If you are struggling with relationship challenges because you are running on empty, we will use these specific, evidence-based tools to help you build relational intentionality and deep connection skills. While our focus remains entirely on your individual journey, we may occasionally bring your partner in for one or two targeted sessions to bridge the gap between your healing and your home.
Radical Acceptance & Mindful Self-Compassion
Healing is not about fixing a "broken" machine; it is about the radical act of integration. We practice moving away from the harsh internal dialogue of the mind and instead step into a stance of fierce, loving presence for all the messy, beautifully human parts of your story.
Narrative Therapy & Reclaiming Your Story
Your history is not a permanent blueprint. Through Narrative Therapy, we externalize the rigid labels, childhood expectations, and old belief systems that have kept you trapped in a cycle of constant over-functioning. Together, we safely unpack the stories of "not enough" and consciously rewrite a new personal history—one built on intentionality and your true, authentic self.
Somatic Work & MBSR: Nervous System Regulation
For those who are entirely stuck in their heads, we bring the work directly into the body. As a trained MBSR Teacher and Trauma-Informed Yoga instructor, I help you move your awareness out of the analytical mind and back into physical reality. We utilize the power of the breath, mindful yoga movement, mindful walking, and even the daily ritual of mindful showering to actively guide your nervous system out of a constant emergency state. This is where we safely release the physical toll of corporate burnout and panic—by teaching your body how to safely anchor itself in the here and now.
Trainings and certifications
Master's degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling - Lynn University
Acceptances and Commitment Therapy (ACT) Training - PychWire
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) Training - PychWire
Gottman Method Couples Therapy – Level 1 Training
Expressive Arts Therapy Level 1
Mindfulness- Based Stress Reduction- Jupiter Medical Center/UMass
200 Hour Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT)
Trauma-Informed Yoga Certification
Certified Mediation Teacher, Guided Visualization Specialist -Satya Worldwide
Mindful Self Compassion , (MSC)- Mindful Kids Miami