Warmth and rigour can live in the same room.

I'm a Registered Psychotherapist who specializes in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), phobias, panic disorder and health anxiety. The phobias I see most are emetophobia, needle and medical fears, fear of flying and agoraphobia. I also have experience treating body-focused repetitive behaviours (BFRBs), like hair pulling and skin picking.

I became a therapist because of my own experience with mental health. An amazing therapist made a real difference in my life, and I wanted to do that for other people. I've always loved helping people, and nothing gives me more joy than a deep conversation and really getting to know someone. Small talk, not so much.

My sessions are structured and hands-on. We figure out what keeps the problem going, then plan exposures and do them together, both in session and in the real places fear shows up. I'm warm and direct, and I use a lot of humour. Being able to laugh at what fear tells you is often part of loosening its grip. If you're looking for a more traditional talk therapist, I may not be the right fit.

My training is rooted in this specialty. I completed an 18-month, 1,000+ hour graduate practicum at Sunnybrook's Frederick W. Thompson Anxiety Disorders Centre, with supervised experience in specialized outpatient and intensive OCD services. In 2020, I also started a CBT practicum at Toronto's Cognitive & Interpersonal Therapy Centre, and I've worked there ever since. I earned my Master of Psychology at Adler Graduate Professional School and my Bachelor of Science at the University of Arizona. My master's thesis looked at OCD and peer support, and it was selected for presentation at the International OCD Foundation conference. It's part of why this site has a page of peer support groups.

I'm an integrative therapist. I'm trained in ERP, CBT, DBT, ACT, mindfulness-based therapy and trauma-informed care, and I'm currently training in inference-based CBT (I-CBT) for OCD. I also take a holistic view. Sleep, movement, connection and meaning all affect how much room fear takes up in your life. Out of all of this, I developed the Wider Life Model™, the framework I use to organize treatment around self-trust and building a wider life.

My practice is trauma-informed and culturally sensitive. It's a judgment-free, affirming space for 2SLGBTQIA+ clients and for people of all cultures, faiths and backgrounds.

Outside the therapy room

I take therapy seriously, and myself a lot less so. My favourite places to be are on an airplane and on a dance floor. Music has always been a big part of my life. Before becoming a therapist, I studied classical voice and vocal performance in university, and I still love singing, concerts and music festivals. I'm a travelling therapist with 20+ countries and counting, and this winter I'll be working from Latin America. Wherever I am, I see clients across Ontario virtually. I also love cooking, the beach and time with friends and family. That's the kind of wide life I hope therapy gives my clients. Not just fewer symptoms, but more life, and more room to enjoy it.