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Who Am I?
The Anatomy of Clinical Alignment
Engaging in psychoanalytic work requires a willingness to confront the deeply personal, often disruptive undercurrents that fragment our lives and obscure our potential. In contemplating this therapeutic approach, a cascade of inquiries naturally arises: Who is this clinician? What dictates their philosophy? With what measure of empathy and intellect do they listen? Will I encounter judgment, or will I find authentic comprehension? Beneath this labyrinth of conscious questions lies a subtle, unspoken anxiety—a completely natural response to the vulnerability of seeking psychological accompaniment. In truth, every reservation and inquiry is an elegant proxy for a singular, unconscious question: "Can this individual truly hold the space required to help me heal?" Navigating this initial uncertainty is the very first step toward a transformative therapeutic experience.
The Foundation of the Therapeutic Alliance
While the text below outlines my formal academic and clinical architecture, a professional curriculum vitae can only serve as an initial point of departure. In alignment with traditional psychoanalytic principles, I maintain a thoughtful degree of personal anonymity. Reserving the therapeutic space exclusively for your narrative is a deliberate clinical choice; it preserves your ability to project and experience transference—unconscious dynamics that serve as the very engine of analytical treatment.
Beneath the clinical credentials, I share in our collective humanity. As a psychologist, I am entirely immersed in the human condition, navigating the same existential currents, complexities, and daily vulnerabilities that confront us all. My own journey has been shaped by personal challenges—past, present, and undoubtedly future—yet my objective is never mere compliance or submission to these trials. Rather, I meet them as catalysts for psychological expansion and adaptive resilience, an integration I bring directly into our shared work.
My career has been dedicated to mastering the art of psychoanalytic craftsmanship. To offer a truly holistic framework, I weave this deep psychological insight together with my clinical foundations as a registered nurse and advanced practice psychiatric nurse practitioner. Life’s most impactful disruptions are rarely linear or simple; they demand a sophisticated, multifaceted approach. Throughout our collaboration, we will look beyond isolated symptoms to explore the complete ecosystem of your well-being, thoughtfully integrating neurobiological health, restorative sleep hygiene, somatic stress regulation, mindfulness, and lifestyle psychiatric interventions as your treatment dictates.
The remainder of this page details the formal metrics of my background—the degrees, institutional affiliations, and clinical milestones that comprise my professional footprint. While these records anchor my past and present capabilities, the true essence of our work lies forward-facing, rooted in the deliberate choices we make to shape the architecture of your future.
PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS
The Architecture of Dual-Discipline Expertise
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My clinical philosophy is anchored by a rare intersection of doctoral-level psychological insight and advanced-practice psychiatric training. I hold a Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology from California Southern University and a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Health Sciences Research from Touro College, a dual academic foundation that bridges clinical application with rigorous scientific inquiry. As both a Psychologist and a board-certified Family Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP-BC) licensed in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, my practice unifies the mind and body. This unique dual-lens was forged through advanced graduate work at the State University of New York at Binghamton, where I earned my Master of Science in Gerontological Nursing and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Study as a Family Psychiatric/Mental Health Nurse Practitioner (PMHNP). To harmonize these complex disciplines, I have dedicated myself to the study of modern psychoanalysis in the Psychoanalytic Training Program at the Institute for Modern Psychoanalysis of Philadelphia (formerly the Philadelphia School of Psychoanalysis), following the receipt of my Certificate of Advanced Study in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy from the Institute of Advanced Psychological Studies.
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Recognizing that overwhelming human distress requires a multifaceted approach, my training spans the entire continuum of neurological, behavioral, and biological specialties. I possess a Master of Science in General and Addictions Psychology from Purdue University Global (formerly Kaplan University), and my psychopharmacological expertise was recognized by the receipt of the Master Psychopharmacologist Certificate with distinction from the Neuroscience Education Institute in Carlsbad, California. This neurobiological foundation is heavily integrated with advanced trauma and addiction specializations. I am a Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (Levels I & II) and hold a Certification in Forensic Traumatology, as well as specialized training in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR Levels I & II), Trauma-Focused CBT training from the Medical University of South Carolina, and my certificate in Trauma-Informed Care from Drexel University. Furthermore, my approach to addictive behaviors is rooted in structural expertise as a certified Master Addictions Counselor (MAC), Certified Addiction Specialist (CAS), and Certified Advanced Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CAADC). Grounded in foundational training from the Albert Ellis Institute in REBT/CBT, my holistic framework is uniquely enhanced by specializations in cognitive rehabilitation as a Certified Brain Injury Specialist and holistic wellness as a Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist.
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My commitment to the highest standards of clinical stewardship is reflected in my active engagement with the premier professional organizations in the fields of healthcare and psychotherapy. I maintain proud professional affiliations across the spectrum of my dual specialties, holding memberships in the American Psychological Association (APA), the Pennsylvania Psychological Association (PSA), and the National Association for the Advancement of Psychoanalysis (NAAP). Specific to nursing and healthcare, I am a member of the American Association of Nurse Practitioners (AANP), the National Association for Alcohol and Drug Abuse Counselors (NAADAC), and the American Therapeutic Recreation Association (ATRA). I am also a member of Psi Chi, the International Honor Society in Psychology. This extensive, integrated background ensures that when you step into my practice, you are not receiving fragmented care, but an integrated, intellectually rigorous alliance designed to hold the full complexity of your human experience.
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The Artistry of the Space: Original Photography and Therapeutic Escapes
The landscape and nature photographs encountered throughout this website are intentionally curated personal artifacts rather than commercial stock imagery. Each photograph was captured during my own immersive explorations through the old-growth forests of Pennsylvania and the vast wilderness of upstate New York. For me, hiking serves as a vital, restorative counterweight to the intense demands of the 21st Century. While the physiological and neurobiological benefits of somatic movement and physical exercise are thoroughly documented across contemporary medical literature—and will form an integral component of our holistic treatment considerations—the psychological virtue of the wilderness extends far deeper.
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Stepping into nature offers a rare, necessary sanctuary from the mundane frictions and systemic noise of daily life. Whether found in a dense forest canopy, a manicured urban park, or the quiet corner of a backyard, these natural interludes provide a profound sense of psychological stillness. They allow the mind to rest, unburdened by the complexities of human interaction. As Sigmund Freud beautifully observed: “Flowers are restful to look at. They have neither emotions nor conflicts.” The imagery shared here is an invitation into that very peace—a visual reflection of the clarity, space, and quiet resilience we seek to cultivate within the therapeutic alliance.
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