Description (2950 characters max)
I help adults in midlife heal the lingering wounds that come from growing up with immature, self-absorbed, or critical parents. If this sounds like you, then you might feel anxious when it comes to setting boundaries - like you’ll be “in trouble.” Or you may feel guilty when you need to prioritize yourself, imagining (or knowing) that others can’t tolerate the normal disappointments of life.
Very likely, you’re also navigating difficult present-day relationships - maybe now with aging and still immature parents, maybe with a sibling who doesn’t function well or isn’t trustworthy, maybe with an adult child who won’t launch.
If you're the "reliable one" you’re probably exhausted and maybe resentful. You love them, but maybe have fantasies about fleeing the country.
I understand. I come from the same kind of family, so I know what it's like when someone you love is demanding, critical, unpredictable, embarrassing, or creates drama. In my 40s, I realized I couldn’t keep showing up with a smile. It felt like self-betrayal.
My therapist taught me how to set firm, kind boundaries, nurture myself in ways that healed childhood trauma, and transform codependent patterns into genuine self-care. I discovered what real self-worth feels like—not based on performance or making others comfortable, but rooted in my own needs and values.
Now I share what worked for me with my clients. Together, we work on three core areas: protection (setting boundaries without guilt), emotional regulation (self-compassion instead of self-criticism), and authentic self-worth (finding joy beyond caretaking). We address the patterns you learned growing up—walking on eggshells, people-pleasing, taking responsibility for others' emotions—and build the self-care skills you were never taught.
My approach is attachment-based and trauma-informed, drawing on EMDR, somatic techniques, and parts work. I help clients become their own secure, trustworthy parent—the one they needed but didn't have.
I also specialize in chronic pain relief using Pain Reprocessing Therapy (PRT) and Emotional Awareness and Expression Therapy (EAET). Years of suppressing emotions to keep the peace often manifest as physical pain. When we address the underlying patterns (hypervigilance; difficulty expressing anger, sadness or disappointment; stress from difficult relationships) the body can finally relax. Relief is possible.
If this resonates, let's talk. I always start with a free consultation.
