Frequently Asked Questions...

A psychologist is a mental health provider licensed by their local Board of Psychology. In North Carolina, psychologists who provide professional psychological services can be licensed at thetice at a Master’s level or Doctoral level. I am a Doctoral-level psychologist. Master’s level psychologists are required to engage in ongoing professional supervision, provided by a doctoral-level psychologist.

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Licensed psychologists who provide clinical services (as opposed to research), receive extensive training in assessment, diagnosis, and treatment of mental health conditions and in addressing the whole span of concerns that arise throughout the lifespan.

​In North Carolina and most other states, psychologists do not have a prescribing privilege. Prescribers require medical training, such as an MD, NP, or the like. In some states (New Mexico, Louisiana, Illinois, Iowa, and Idaho), psychologists can choose to engage in additional training to receive prescribing privileges, but that is not the norm.

Counseling, therapy, psychotherapy; these words all tend to refer to the same kind of clinical service: conversation and interventions by which folks experience relief and healing. Mental health clinicians all receive training in the provision of “talk therapy” though that training varies greatly across degrees/disciplines. The depth, scope, and focus of training differs between psychologists, social workers, and mental health counselors.

Through my training and continued education following, I proudly utilize a diverse range of therapy strategies. In the therapy space, I pull from Carl Rogers and feminist perspectives, providing respectively, unconditional positive regard for the human experience, while holding awareness of my role and power in the room. Depending on your concerns, I will pull strategies from Cognitive Behavioral therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior therapy (DBT), and/or Acceptance and Commitment therapy (ACT). I utilize mindfulness and somatic strategies to enhance awareness and insight. I also pull from relational perspectives (Interpersonal Therapy, Internal Family Systems, Trans-relational theory) to explore engagement with the world around you as well as the relationship you’ve developed with all parts of you.

I really love working with folks who feel stuck or at the end of their rope, and hoping for change. The reasons may be varied and situational to biologically-based. I have significant experience working with folks who have navigated:

Depression

Anxiety

Trauma

Gender dysphoria

Parenting

Relational changes and stressors

Patients say that I am warm and wholly supportive of all of them, even parts they are initially fearful of. I have been told I provide a helpful balance of specific strategies and exploration and support to understand and shift unhelpful and longstanding patterns. I’ve been told I use a lot of metaphors – I do! – and that they are helpful in approaching things in a new way.

You do not have to live in North Carolina. However, I am licensed in North Carolina so you must be physically present in the state of NC when services are provided.