My education as a therapist includes both formal and informal learning. On the formal side, I studied American Studies (concentrating on the experiences of marginalized groups) at Barnard College of Columbia University, earning my BA in 1999. I earned a Masters in Social Work with a concentration in adult mental health from UNC-Chapel Hill in 2007. Since 2013, I have been intensively studying the Hakomi Method, a model of mindfulness-based somatic psychotherapy. Since becoming a Certified Hakomi Therapist (CHT), I have continued to learn Hakomi by pursuing advanced supervision and serving as an assistant teacher at trainings. I also completed Level 1 of the Somatic Experiencing Professional Training in 2017, which gave me useful tools for helping people work with trauma.

Another aspect of my education comes from my cross-cultural experiences. Raised in Germany and the U.S. by a German father and an American Jewish mother, I learned early on to adapt myself to different cultures. In my early twenties, I served in the Peace Corps in an indigenous village in Nicaragua, which furthered my awareness of my cultural upbringing and how it shaped my assumptions. Working as an in-home family therapist with Spanish-speaking families in Durham, NC for five years after graduate school, I learned more about my cultural conditioning, which was a humbling and deeply rewarding experience. I believe these experiences help me to meet people with curiosity and an open mind, whether they look and talk like me or not.

Finally, I bring the wisdom gained from my own healing journey. I have worked with several gifted therapists, without whom I would not be who I am today. My regular practices include mindfulness meditation, embodied movement, anti-oppression training, Okada energy work, and Jewish and nature-based spiritual practices. I am also a parent and the practice of parenting continues to teach me so much, stretching me to grow and showing me aspects of myself I’d often rather not see! The never-finished process of growing as a person feels central to my own life, and I consider it a privilege to accompany others on their journeys.