I practice art therapy because I believe that connection is one of our greatest resources for wellbeing. Creativity has helped me authentically connect with myself and others and has taught me just how resilient and fulfilling our lives can be. 

Growing up, my identities and experiences didn’t quite fit into one box, which often felt isolating and invalidating. I also struggled to fully understand the impact of my hardships because my experiences “didn’t look like that.” Art has always helped with what I couldn’t put into words or couldn’t see represented around me. Whether one-on-one or in community, having a shame-free, validating space has allowed me to define, own, and heal my wounds, and then transform them into a unique strength.

These identities and experiences inform my sessions because they remind me to embrace the complexities of people's lives and to bridge all of a person’s experiences into a whole self.

I see my role as a collaborative one. I aim to help you clarify your goals and values; provide psychoeducation, resources, and perspective; and facilitate a safe space for exploring and embodying authentic connections. 

Outside of sessions, I’m passionate about supporting art and healing projects in other ways. I volunteered on the Awakenings visual art committee, a nonprofit organization based in Chicago that provides a space for survivors of sexual violence to heal through art-making. I also like supporting my friends and colleagues in their projects! I contributed the cover artwork for Sexual Assault from A—Z: A Guide to Terminology and Resources for Survivors and their Allies, by Annie Novotny. I also provided artwork for a publication that offers hope and camaraderie for survivors of sexual violence, called On Water Lily Pond, edited by Teresa Sit.

In my spare time, I’m usually making my own art, hanging out with family and friends, listening to podcasts that give me goosebumps, taking a dance or yoga class, and exploring local shops with a boba tea in hand!