About Me

I am a licensed clinical psychologist, researcher and educator located in Philadelphia, PA. As an Assistant Professor at the Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety (CTSA) at UPenn, I had the privilege to provide psychotherapy, train clinicians, provide wellness services for employees, and conduct research. I have contributed to grant-funded studies of treatments for PTSD, OCD, and have received federal funding to better understand the evolution and impact of perinatal anxiety and OCD. I am currently on the training faculty of Post Partum Support International (PSI) and the International OCD Foundation (IOCDF). My therapy training has spanned multiple settings including outpatient mental health clinics, community behavioral health, and integrated clinics within hospitals and I have worked with a wide-range of presenting concerns.

Starting Psychotherapy

The reasons that bring people to psychotherapy are varied and personal. Some people are hoping to address specific symptoms, while others may want to build greater self-understanding, need support through challenging life experiences or transitions, or want to discover ways to reinvigorate life when it feels stale or stagnant. My goal is to help you better understand challenging life experiences, thinking and behavior patterns, learn to tolerate difficult emotional responses, and help you make meaningful change. I find that as people move through a course of therapy, experiencing symptom reduction often provides room for deeper exploration of values, relationships, and other enriching aspects of life.  

My Approach and Specialties

  • Although many people do not have concerns that fit neatly into specific diagnostic boxes, in my practice I often see people who have symptoms related to DSM-5 diagnoses of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and other Anxiety disorders (such as Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD), Panic Disorder (PD), Illness Anxiety Disorder).  Through my position at UPenn, I have had extensive experience working with medical professionals, faculty, and students with these or other concerns.

    I have a special interest and expertise in treating Perinatal Mood and Anxiety Disorders (PMADS) including difficulties related to reproductive health such as infertility, pregnancy loss, and the transition to parenthood. As such, I have completed perinatal mental health certification (PMH-C) through Post Partum Support International.  I have worked in both outpatient and embedded clinics specifically focused on the treatment Women’s emotional and behavioral wellness.

  • I have experience in the following evidence-based treatments:

    • Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for the treatment of OCD

    • Prolonged Exposure for the treatment of PTSD

    • Panic Control Treatment for Panic Disorder

    • CBTs for the treatment of Social Anxiety Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Specific Phobia, and Illness Anxiety Disorder

    • CBT for Depression

    • Psychodynamic approaches to treating PTSD for which there is emerging evidence and are integrated as indicated

    • I tend to take an integrative approach to treatment and weave in my background as a developmental psychologist as well as training in multiple psychotherapy orientations. In general, I take an individualized approach to treatment and work to help you understand patterns in thinking, feeling, and behaving in order to turn these insights into meaningful life change.

  • My approach is collaborative and aims to first build a trusting relationship to build comfort with the process of psychotherapy.  My orientation is rooted in my training in CBTs and humanistic orientations and I tend to take a curious approach to better understanding you and your needs. I integrate other techniques from my training to help you gain further insight into your unique ways of thinking, feeling, and relating and to aid in changing less helpful patterns. My hope is to help you find ways to live a fuller life in line with what is most important to you.

Background

I received my PhD in Clinical Psychology from the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam and completed clinical psychology respecialization in the US through the University of Pennsylvania Department of Psychology. Please see below for some more educational highlights:

  • Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania

    • Assistant Professor Center for the Treatment and Study of Anxiety (2023-2026)

  • International OCD Foundation

    • Training Faculty (2025-present)

  • Postpartum Support International

    • Training Faculty (2026-present)

  • Department of Psychiatry, University of Pennsylvania

    • Post-Doctoral Fellow (2021-2023)

  • Department of Psychology, University of Pennsylvania

    • Clinical Psychology PhD Respecialization (2017-2020)

  • ChristianaCare Hospital (Center for Women’s Emotional Wellness)

    • Psychology Intern (2020-2021)

  • Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam

    • PhD in Clinical Psychology (2012-2017)

  • Tufts University

    • BA and MA in Developmental Psychology