As a clinical counselor, I work with parents who are part of the Moving Beyond Depression program. I'm passionate about providing high-quality mental health care to parents because healthy parents can better support their children in their health journeys. The state of a parent's mental well-being significantly impacts the outcomes of their child's health. Empowering parents to take care of themselves ensures they are confident in their ability to care for their children, which can lead to better health outcomes.

I wanted to go into a helping profession in college, but it took a few years to find my way to the field of mental healthcare. In graduate school, I learned a term for an interest I had my entire life: perinatal mental health. I was deeply energized to learn about the ways parents experience mental health changes and challenges within the pregnancy, postpartum and parenting experience, and I knew this was a population I wanted to continue to serve. I aim to alleviate barriers to increase access to perinatal mental health support however I can, including supporting the great research taking place at Cincinnati Children’s to address this specific demographic and life experience.

I highly value a person-centered approach to mental health and meeting patients where they are to build trust and understanding of the issues that impact their lives. I believe in hoping with the patient while using humor and humanity to breathe levity into often heavy conversations. I know what it is like to receive and participate in therapy and that it may feel scary to get started or to push yourself to think differently or learn new things about yourself. I encourage patients to trust the process and know I'm a devoted part of their team!

When I'm not working, I recharge by spending time with loved ones, exploring new restaurants and attending various live music events. One of my favorite things about Cincinnati is the many parks and museums nearby that we can enjoy on the weekends.