About
Let’s start with some questions.
Like all great stories, midlife begins with a question: WTF?
Should I find a more fulfilling job?
Where did this chin hair come from?
Will it ever be my turn?
Friends and family don’t have the answers.
You go to your nearest and dearest. They know you well. You share bonds that go back decades. Everything you do affects each other – that’s the problem here.
“I didn’t know you were this unhappy” is what your partner will say.
Friends will show you their chin hairs.
Your family will tell you it’s because you’re the middle child, and this is just like the time you painted your room black and listened to The Cure nonstop.
Why Therapy?
Therapy is all about YOU! In therapy, it’s always your turn to talk. No interruptions. No distractions.
When was the last time you felt completely listened to? I want to hear everything you have to say. Your unpopular opinions, old grudges, flights of fancy… everything.
At first, therapy may feel awkward, causing you to wonder – Why is this important? Where is this coming from?
I will encourage you to keep going, gently guiding you to follow an idea you quickly dismissed. There is no judgment.
Pretty soon, the words will tumble forth. You won’t believe how much you’ve been holding back and how much you have to say.
You will find that when you speak your truth, your authentic self begins to emerge. This emergence is your story taking form.
Why Therapy Now?
When you were a little girl, you were bold. You spoke your mind, stood up to injustice, and played all-out to beat the boys at games. Then puberty hit, and a tidal wave of hormones turned your thoughts to dating and mating.
To attract a partner, you softened your voice, and later, you suppressed your own needs to nurture your children.
You pushed personal dreams aside for the collective goal of raising your family. Then, those hormones receded in midlife, the tide went out, and you raised the kids. But your powerful nurturing energy remains.
What’s Next?
During our sessions, I will learn your story. My role is to guide you and keep track of themes and old psychological blockers that hold you back.
We think in language, and the stories we tell about our past and present have a powerful way of foretelling our future.
I use my training as a therapist and writer to bring your attention to places where your inner voice isn’t helpful – encouraging you to make it more compassionate and constructive.
In time, we will turn your ideas into a solid action plan. What do you want to do with your one wild and precious life?
About Me
I’ve always been fascinated by people and their stories.
I studied Journalism at the School of Visual Arts in New York City. I thought being a reporter would give me a front-row seat to the drama of humanity. My first writing job out of college was at a condo newspaper, covering scintillating topics like flood insurance and HVAC systems.
I decided to make a bold move and took a job as a dominatrix in an S&M parlor in Manhattan’s growing fetish community. I planned to write a few articles and be on my way. As it turned out, I loved the work.
Better than a front seat – this was like a backstage pass! And it was more than playacting; I bore witness to my clients’ lusts, fantasies, and fears. It blew open my mind and expanded my views on sexuality, privacy, gender identity, and what is considered “normal.” I realized that I wasn’t just role-playing with my clients – I was helping them resolve issues, come to terms with their inner lives, and provide catharsis – kind of like a therapist, but in leather.
I used my whip money to attend graduate school and study Psychology. I thought it would be nice to have a profession I could talk about at Thanksgiving – and I was tired of people asking if they could touch my feet.
Writing was a continuing part of my life.
In the meantime, I sold some articles – then some more. Wrote for newspapers, magazines, film, and television and had my share of plot twists. My story includes anxiety, depression, addiction, grief, failure, and triumph.
Some of my biggest losses turned out to be my greatest opportunities. I’m grateful for all these experiences – they’ve given me perspective, patience, tolerance, insight, and the gift of waking up each morning with gratitude. I’m always prepared to be surprised, and that’s a wonderful thing.
Nowadays, I love to read, cook, write, go on long drives, and break a sweat. During the pandemic, I discovered trail running. And this year, I competed in a 50-mile relay race through the Florida Keys.
I laugh about how much I dreaded turning 40.
The day came and went. I felt pretty good – powerful, even.
As a therapist, I had to ask myself, why the disconnect? I realized the societal messages I’d been internalizing since childhood were the problem. I started challenging those messages.
“Less energy,” they said. Yes, less energy for naysayers, assholes, and bores.
“You’ll be less desirable,” they said. Yes, I will be less attractive to people who like women when they are younger and more easily manipulated.
“Your hormones will rage, and so will you,” they said. Yeah? You got a problem with that?
This Riot Grrl became a Grown Ass Woman.
My mission is to help you reclaim midlife. Let this be the time when you step into your power and live in your truth.
Join the legions of Grown Ass Women who face the future passionately and purposefully. Tend to yourself as you have tended to others.
I want to help you go forth in fierceness and make this chapter your best one.