As a holistic psychotherapist, author, workshop facilitor, and deep soul diver, I view every life as a sacred story that is open to interpretation, especially your own. I consider myself a spiritual midwife of sorts, helping people embrace their true self and emerge from difficult life transitions with more confidence, clarity, and compassion because, after all, we’re only human.
My belief in the personal transformation and the power of storytelling, cultivated in my first career as a journalist, inspired my first book “Step Out of Your Story,” which was published in 2015 by New World Library, a company dedicated to publishing “books that change lives” including bestsellers by Eckhart Tolle, Deepak Choprah, and Wayne Dyer.
My passion for the human journey is also infused in the writing workshops I’ve given at the New York Open Center, the 92nd Street Y, the JCC of Manhattan, Vassar College, Sivananda Yoga Ashram in the Bahamas among other venues, my long-standing Psychology Today blog “The Novel Perspective,”and my previous mental health column for the New York, Boston, and Philadelphia Metro newspapers.
Following the publication of my book, I discovered Internal Family Systems (IFS) psychotherapy, and was amazed by the depth of healing I witnessed both personally and with my clients. In July of 2022, after completing many hours of training, supervision and clinical practice, I became Certified in IFS. I’ve subsequently added I”FS Writing Labs” to my workshop repetoire, which allow participants to access more curiosity and compassion towards different parts of themselves through IFS-inspired writing exercises.
I am currently on staff with the Psychotherapy and Spirituality Institute (PSI), an interfaith collective that provides psychotherapy, counseling, training, and continuing education to address the emotional and spiritual health of the people of New York City and beyond. Through telehealth, I serve adults of all ages throughout New York state. As an IFS therapist, I take an intuitive, informed and sometimes playful approach to self discovery that respects each person’s unique strengths, gifts, and situation. My role is to help you understand and unburden different parts of yourself that are no longer serving you, so you can create a life that expresses your best self in your work and relationships. As part of my training, I also make sure my own “therapist parts” don’t get in the way of being fully present to you. My clients often tell me they feel very seen and understood, and that my insights are very helpful.
A seeker of insight and widsom who draws from the places I’ve lived and richness of experiences I’ve had both personally and professionally, I like to integrate wisdom from the Enneagram, Jungian psychology, Focusing, tapping, Myers-Briggs, CBT, meditation, and writing exercises from my book “Step Out of Your Story.” I enjoy working with all types of people, but am told I have a special knack for “getting” artists, writers, and people who are struggling with issues of faith. I hold a certificate in Social Work and Spiritual Care from New York University (where I have subsequentlly guest-lectured) and completed the year-long certificate program with the Association of Spirituality and Psychotherapy (ASP).
A former adjunct profession at Long Island University’s School of Social Work, I more recently have been a featured speaker and regular lecturer in the PSI’s Spring Speak series and annual Certificate Program in Spiritually-Informed Psychotherapies, where I have presented on such topics as Spirituality Across the Lifespan, the Spirituality of Crisis and Conflict, Fear and Faith, Holy Antagonists, and Coping with Transitions. Having been exposed to the wisdom of various faith traditions and spiritual practices, including a brief position as a synagogue-based social worker, I am particularly sensitive to the complex set of issues confronting individuals struggling to find a balance between religious/spiritual beliefs and personal integrity, as well as autonomy and the desire to remain connected to family/community.
As of August 2022, I am currently offering primarily telehealth psychotherapy to adults of all ages in New York state. In the Fall, depending on COVID numbers, I may begin offering hybrid in-person appointments in New York City and in New Paltz in the Fall. To learn more about me, I invite you to watch my videos, read my Novel Perspective columns on Psychology Today, or listen to more than two dozen podcast interviews I’ve posted on this site. I am currently available for corporate/organizational writing workshops and speaking engagements.
