Hello, my name is Mia! I would love the opportunity to see if we might be a good fit to work together in therapy. Before jumping in to all things therapy, I’d like to share a bit about who I am outside of the therapy room.
When I am not working, you can usually find me doing something creative. I am almost always working on an art project, or finding a new hobby that I have to immediately try. I especially enjoy painting and crafting, but I am always open to attempting new crafts.
I also enjoy cooking and baking. I find cooking and baking to be (sometimes) stress relieving, although I have to admit that my art projects are more relaxing. I enjoy trying new recipes and sharing the end product with family and friends. A new favorite hobby of mine is all things flowers! I have fun growing flowers and making flower arrangements!
Spending time with the people I love and care for is important to me. I always am looking for an excuse to host a gathering and bring my family and friends together, whether that means celebrating something special, or just enjoying each other’s company. At the same time, some of my favorite moments are snuggling up on the couch with my husband, our two cats, eating good food, and enjoying a cozy night at home. Although I enjoy a cozy night at home, I do like going to try new restaurants and food as well.
PsyD in Clinical Psychology: Adler University
…my cats!
…what art project I am currently working on.
…the latest thing I have cooked or baked.
…flower arrangements I have recently done!
PsyD in Clinical Psychology: Adler University
I believe therapy should be a space where you feel supported, understood, and comfortable to show up as yourself. Building a genuine and trusting relationship is an important part of the work we will do together. I strive to create a warm, nurturing environment where you can feel heard and supported.
I take the time to get to know you, understand your experiences, and learn what you need from therapy. I follow your pace and tailor our work to your individual needs, goals, and preferences. What feels helpful may also change over time, and we can continue to adjust our approach as we learn more about what works best for you.
I also recognize that growth can sometimes require us to have difficult conversations. I aim to create a space where we can explore and gently challenge thoughts, behaviors, or patterns that may no longer be serving you, while still honoring your experiences and where you are in the process. Most importantly, I see therapy as something we do together. I value open communication and collaboration throughout the process, and I welcome your feedback about what is or isn’t feeling helpful. My hope is that therapy feels like a space where you have an active voice in the work we are doing together.
Our first session will focus on getting to know one another and beginning to understand what brings you to therapy. I’ll ask questions about your background, important relationships, past experiences, and what life looks like for you right now. We’ll also talk about what you hope to get out of therapy and begin identifying what you would like to work on together. You don’t need to come in knowing exactly where to start—we can figure that out together.
After our first few sessions, therapy with me tends to be conversational and collaborative. I’ll listen and give you space to process, but I’ll also ask questions, share observations, help you make connections, teach and provide skills and tools to manage stressors, and gently challenge you when I notice a pattern that may be worth exploring. There may be sessions where we talk about really difficult things, sessions where we celebrate progress, and sessions where we laugh. Therapy is allowed to have room for all of it.
I’m also a therapist who enjoys incorporating activities into sessions when they make sense for you. Sometimes it can be easier to understand something by seeing it, writing it down, practicing it together, or approaching it creatively rather than only talking about it. Ultimately, our sessions will be shaped by what you need and what feels most helpful to you.
I earned my Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D.) in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Traumatic Stress Psychology from Adler University. Throughout my training, I have worked with adults from a variety of backgrounds and in different levels of care, including inpatient psychiatric hospitals and outpatient community mental health settings.
I have a particular passion for working with adults who have experienced trauma. This may include a single traumatic experience or multiple experiences that have occurred throughout your life. Trauma can shape how we see ourselves, how safe we feel in the world, how we connect with other people, how we respond to emotions, and the patterns we develop to protect ourselves. Together, we can work to better understand what you are experiencing, recognize patterns that may be keeping you feeling stuck, and develop new ways of navigating difficult emotions, relationships, and life experiences.
In addition to trauma, I also enjoy working with adults experiencing anxiety, depression, self-esteem concerns, relationship concerns, stress, and life transitions. You might find yourself constantly overthinking, struggling to feel good enough, having difficulty navigating relationships, feeling disconnected from yourself, or simply knowing that something in your life doesn’t feel quite right. In therapy we can work towards addressing these concerns.
My approach to therapy is evidence-based, integrative, and trauma-informed. I utilize cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), dialectical behavior therapy (DBT), acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT), and trauma-informed interventions. Rather than taking a one-size-fits-all approach, I integrate different techniques based on your individual needs, goals, and preferences.
Whether you are looking to heal from past experiences, navigate something difficult in the present, or better understand yourself, I would be honored to support you along the way. Together, we can create a space where you can work toward meaningful and lasting change. I look forward at the opportunity to meeting you!
Here are answers to questions I hear from clients most often!
Trauma does not necessarily stop affecting us just because an experience happened a long time ago. Past experiences can influence how safe you feel, how you see yourself, how you respond to emotions, and how you connect with other people. Trauma therapy can help you understand those connections and gradually develop new ways of responding to experiences that may still feel very present.
After trauma or prolonged stress, your mind and body can become accustomed to looking for danger. You may notice yourself feeling tense, easily startled, watchful, or unable to fully relax even when there is no immediate threat. Trauma-informed therapy can help you understand these responses, develop ways to feel more grounded, and gradually build a greater sense of safety.
Shutting down can be a protective response to stress or emotions that feel like too much to manage at once. You might become quiet, numb, disconnected, or feel like you simply cannot respond. Therapy can help you recognize what triggers this response and build skills for staying connected to yourself when difficult emotions arise.
Feeling numb or disconnected can sometimes develop as a way of coping with overwhelming experiences. While emotional distance may have helped you get through something difficult, it can become frustrating when it continues into other parts of your life. Trauma therapy can help you explore this pattern at a pace that feels manageable and work toward reconnecting with your emotions and sense of self.
Self-blame is common after traumatic experiences, even when you were not responsible for what happened. You may find yourself replaying what you did, didn’t do, or wish you had done differently. Therapy can help you examine those beliefs with greater context and compassion while working through the emotions connected to the experience.
Yes. We provide therapy for individuals in Naperville and throughout the western suburbs of Chicago. Our approach is supportive, collaborative, and focused on helping you feel understood while working toward meaningful change.
You do not need to prove that an experience was “bad enough” before talking about it in therapy. Trauma can involve a single event, repeated experiences, or circumstances that left you feeling unsafe, powerless, or overwhelmed. What matters clinically is not simply the label attached to an experience, but how it has affected you and whether it continues to influence your life.
Trauma therapy does not have to begin with telling every detail of what happened. Building trust, understanding your current reactions, developing coping skills, and establishing a sense of safety can all be important parts of treatment. Therapy should move at a pace that respects your needs and gives you an active voice in the process.
Surviving something difficult and recovering from its effects are not always the same thing. Even after the situation has ended, you may still notice anxiety, difficulty trusting people, strong emotional reactions, numbness, or ways of protecting yourself that no longer seem necessary. Trauma therapy can help you understand why those responses developed and work toward feeling safer and more connected in your life now.
Trust is influenced by experience. If important relationships in your past involved hurt, unpredictability, betrayal, or feeling unsafe, part of you may remain cautious even in healthier relationships. Therapy can help you understand where that caution comes from without forcing you to trust before you are ready.
Difficult or traumatic experiences can change how you see yourself, other people, and the world around you. You may know that you are functioning but still feel disconnected from the person you were—or uncertain about who you are now. Therapy can provide space to process what changed, reconnect with important parts of yourself, and determine what moving forward means for you.
