Relational Therapy

Relational Work: Couples & Individuals

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I work with people who are open, willing, and motivated to change themselves—not to fix or manage someone else, but to grow in service of healthier, more honest, and more connected relationships. Relational work can take place through individual therapy or couples therapy, depending on what best supports the process.

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Much of my couples work focuses on relationships in serious distress. I am comfortable working with the depth and complexity of issues couples bring, including addiction, affairs, chronic illness, mental health challenges, long-standing patterns of conflict, loss of intimacy, and serious consideration of ending the relationship. I work best with partners who are stable enough to engage in thoughtful, accountable change. My approach emphasizes each partner’s responsibility for examining their own contributions to unhealthy dynamics and committing to specific, observable behavioral changes that support healthier ways of relating. At the core of this work is the belief that strong relational skills are built on each person knowing themselves well.

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I work with individual adults who are living with the ongoing effects of earlier life experiences in their present-day relationships and emotional lives. This work emphasizes building practical skills and developing reliable strategies that are practiced both in and between sessions to address challenges such as low self-worth, recurring relational pain, difficulty accessing meaning or purpose, struggles with family members or intimate partners, feelings of emptiness, and symptoms of anxiety or depression. My approach is integrative and practice-oriented, drawing on cognitive, emotional, and body-based methods to strengthen nervous system regulation, increase accountability, and support more intentional and effective responses to life’s challenges.

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How I Think About Change

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My perspective is grounded in family systems theory, attachment theory, and social justice theory, and my therapeutic approach is strongly influenced by Contemplative Psychotherapy and Buddhist Psychology. I also believe in the profound healing potential of being in relationship with the natural world and often draw on nature-based perspectives in my work.

 

I am deeply committed to lifelong learning and to the ongoing evolution of my own consciousness—as a therapist and as a human being. ​I view relational and personal challenges not as problems to eliminate, but as opportunities for growth, increased awareness, and deeper connection to self and others. 

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Good Fit / Not a Good Fit

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This work is likely a good fit if you:

• Are willing to look honestly at yourself

• Take responsibility for your patterns

• Can tolerate discomfort in service of meaningful change

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This work may not be a good fit if you are seeking:

• Quick fixes or symptom relief without deeper change

• Validation without challenge or accountability

• Therapy focused primarily on changing a partner or external circumstances

 

Relational growth requires effort, patience, and sustained engagement, and I work best with clients who are prepared to participate fully in that process.

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What Working Together Looks Like

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Therapy with me is active, collaborative, and growth-oriented. Sessions involve reflection, skill-building, and honest conversation, along with concrete practices to try between sessions. I offer guidance, structure, and challenge, and I expect clients to engage thoughtfully, practice new ways of responding, and take responsibility for their part in the change process. Progress comes from showing up consistently, being willing to experiment, and staying engaged even when the work feels uncomfortable.

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Identity & Lived Experience

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I identify as white, queer, monogamous, and non-binary. I support clients in exploring how identity, social location, power, and systemic forces shape both inner experience and relational dynamics. I have experience working with individuals and partners who identify as black, brown, queer, trans, non-binary, gay, lesbian, polyamorous, immigrant, and other marginalized identities. I welcome all sexual orientations, gender identities, and relationship styles.

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Background

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Being a therapist is my second career. Prior to entering this field, I worked in management consulting for 20 years in New York City. Outside of my work, I enjoy easy cooking, good coffee, and caring for a small collection of indoor plants. I am divorced and in a committed, non-married partnership.

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Education and Training

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• Licensed Professional Counselor; Colorado License LPC.0020836

• Naropa University; M.A. Clinical Mental Health Counseling

• Barnard College, Columbia University; B.A. Economics

• New York Zen Center for Contemplative Caregiving; Training, Foundations Level

• Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute; Training, Intermediate Level

• PACT (Psychobiological Approach to Couples Therapy) Institute; Training, Level 2

• ​Doherty Relationship Institute; Training, Certified Discernment Counselor

• The Gottman Institute; ​Training, Gottman Leader

• Healing with Nature Trauma Care Certification Program; Training

• The Milton H. Erickson Foundation; Intensive Training Program (In Progress 2026)

• The School of Lost Borders; Training

• Relational Life Institute; ​Seminars and Courses

• Couples Institute; ​Seminars and Courses

• Sexual Health Alliance; ​Seminars and Courses

• Institute for Relational Intimacy; ​Seminars and Courses​