I am originally from New Jersey but chased the warm weather and sunshine to Southern California to earn my Masters in Clinical Psychology from Pepperdine University. My passion and calling is to work with those struggling with eating disorders and mental health challenges due to their self-doubt, harmful lived experiences, traumas and perfectionism.

 

My career has taken me from working at an Eating Disorder treatment center in Long Beach as a Recovery Coach, Primary Therapist and Program Director to building a private practice serving south Orange County. I have been practicing in this community for over a decade and have been honored to walk alongside clients and their families as well as become a trusted referral source for pediatricians, endocrinologists, school counselors, and nutritionists also dedicated to serving our local community. 

 

I am a Certified Eating Disorder Specialist and Approved Consultant (Supervisor) through the International Association of Eating Disorder Professionals (IAEDP), expertly trained to treat even the most challenging presentations of anorexia, bulimia, and binge eating disorder. In order to support the underlying root causes of eating disorders, I have completed a certification course in Dialectical Behavior Therapist (DBT), have a certification of completion for Perinatal Mood Disorders, and am a certified Intuitive Eating Pro. I held a position on the Board of the Orange County chapter of IAEDP from 2011-2016.  I am continuously researching, consulting, and learning more about eating disorders so I can remain fresh, informed and confident in my healing approach.

​

I enjoy working with clients who are learning how to understand their bodies unique communication styles and needs, however that is presenting itself. I work with Perinatal Mood Disorders and support new parents in their journey to ground their thoughts and physical bodies, neurodivergent clients who are learning coping skills to calm overstimulated sensory systems, and clients whose attachment disruptions has led to borderline personality development or low emotional regulation. I love helping people learn to understand themselves and find peace in their process. 

 

I founded Monarch Rising Therapy and Nutrition Services to expand the offerings for quality and compassionate Eating Disorder care to South Orange County. We offer multiple therapy modalities through traditional talk therapy, creative and expressive therapies, and collaborative nutrition counseling in order to give each client the personalized care they deserve in their healing process. Our team has a variety of expertises driven by their own healing journeys and passions for aiding clients to find the freedom to rise up from the internal pain that has kept them from being able to embrace their true selves for way too long. We adamantly defy diet culture fundamentals and believe in radical body inclusivity, allyship, and continued learning from our clients lived experiences. We believe that therapy can lead to a beautiful metamorphosis so clients can live authentically!

​

Outside of work I enjoy reading library books, going to the beach (but not in the cold water!), and being in the mountains. You can usually find me, my husband, and three children at the sports field, hiking or skiing in Mammoth, or surfing at Doheny.