Psychotherapist Brooklyn, NYC

Brooklyn has always been my home, and growing up in a large extended family in the same neighborhood gave me a strong foundation of love and support. Yet, like many families, mine was not without hardship. My father’s struggle with alcohol addiction cast a long shadow over my life, as well as the lives of my four siblings and my mother. With time, I came to understand that my father was attempting to self-medicate feelings of inadequacy and depression through binge drinking. As a child, however, all I knew was that alcohol often took precedence over keeping the lights on, putting food on the table, and meeting our basic needs. My mother’s resilience held our family together, and our extended family frequently stepped in to help with bills or groceries when times were especially difficult.

Stories like mine do not always have hopeful outcomes, but for my family, the path toward healing began when my father made the difficult decision to seek treatment. As he embraced the lifelong process of recovery, I felt a growing desire to understand how to support others facing similar challenges with alcohol and drug dependence.

Before becoming a social worker, I became a Certified Alcohol Counselor and began facilitating group counseling for individuals whose careers were being affected by addiction. This work was deeply formative. It expanded my understanding of the complexities of substance use and strengthened my commitment to helping people navigate the issues that contribute to, or may lead to, addiction.

Through my years in recovery work, I’ve seen the many layered reasons people seek support: depression or anxiety that makes daily functioning feel impossible; domestic conflict or instability that leaves you feeling unsafe or unheard; major life transitions, such as job loss, divorce, moving, or identity shifts, that shake your sense of control; and sometimes simply the relentless grind of daily life, which can accumulate until nothing seems to quiet the noise.

In my work with adults, I draw on trauma-informed and strengths-based perspectives. I focus on creating safety, building resilience, and using practical, evidence-based tools like cognitive behavioral therapy and motivational interviewing to help you regain stability and a sense of control.

When I’m not working, I still love spending time with my extended family and friends. I enjoy traveling and experiencing new cultures, and I’m currently working toward a black belt in karate. I also love to bike, ski, and camp, and to take in good movies, books, and plays.