Tranquil Pines Counseling

​​​As a native of Northern Virginia, I recognize the difficulties that residing in such a fast-paced environment can create. I completed my master’s degree at Marymount University in Arlington, Virginia, and worked in various community-agency mental health settings, until joining the private practice world a few years ago. These community-agency settings provided me with invaluable experience working extensively with a variety of clients and mental health issues. However, these settings also created continuous disruptions to my own mental health and well-being, due to the workplace's unrealistic expectations to 'do more' and rigorous demands of 'just push through.' What I wish I had learned sooner was the negative impact that the "push through" mindset had on my mind-body connection.   

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When I learned more about the mind-body connection, which is largely comprised of the health of an individual's nervous system, I came to realize that what I experienced in the community-agency setting was severe burnout. Switching into the private practice world allowed me to slow down in a way that provided a healthy realignment of my mind and body. Through learning about my own nervous system, its needs, and how to understand my nervous system's communication strategies, I also learned how to honor my nervous system's need to rest, which is often what we ignore when we "push through." I have spent the last few years learning about the nuances of the nervous system and developing the skill of allowing myself to rest when my nervous system communicates that need. As a result of learning when to rest, I have uncovered more of my inner tranquility than ever before. ​​​

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I specialize in working with neurodivergent teens and young adults; however, my clinical experience includes trauma and a wide variety of mental health issues across all developmental stages. With over a decade of experience, I learned the importance of tailoring treatment through close collaboration between youth and their support systems in an integrative holistic approach. Regardless of an individual’s identity as neurodivergent or neurotypical, I strive to provide all of my clients at Tranquil Pines Counseling with customized resources and therapeutic supports. I use a combination of talk, somatic, expressive, and play therapy modalities to integrate various counseling theories. I strive to help my clients find their voice and have their needs be met in a way that feels safe, authentic, and sustainable to them. I strongly believe that every person already has all the tools needed to be successful in the world, and that it's just a matter of using them in a way that works best for them. Honoring one's own needs allows an individual to trust themselves, and feel heard and understood by others, which is critical for mental (mind) and physical (body) health.​​  

 

​I look forward to discussing these concepts further with you and help you create a system that allows you to navigate the world in a way that’s most suited to your tranquility.​​​

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