I am a licensed clinical social worker in North Carolina with more than twenty years of experience supporting individuals facing grief, loss and significant life transitions. I was drawn to grief work after the death of my mother from cancer when I was seventeen, and the desire to more deeply understand and make meaning out of my experiences. Prior to beginning a private practice, my professional career has included work as a nursing home social worker, a hospice social worker and a hospice grief counselor.

I approach grief not as a problem to be solved, but rather as a natural, human response to loss, and, as writer Jane Brody describes, “a process to be tended and lived through in whatever form and however long it may take.” When we are deeply grieving, it can feel as if the rest of the world is carrying on as normal all around us, while our personal world has been shattered and turned upside down. My personal and professional experiences heighten my sensitivity to the complexity of feelings and challenges  that often surface when we are grieving significant losses and facing major changes in our lives.

My counseling style is person-centered, deepening conversation to discover and honor one’s inherent wisdom. Our work together may incorporate mindfulness and self-compassion practices, expressive arts, as well as the use of writing and symbolic ritual as a means of expression, release and healing. Past clients have expressed particular appreciation for my genuine, thoughtful and attuned presence. I believe it is vital to make space for acknowledging and exploring the painful aspects of loss and change, while also inviting room for possibilities of healing, rebuilding and reconnection to life that, although forever changed by loss, can still have meaning.

I received my Masters in Social Work from East Carolina University and a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.  In 2021, I completed a Certified Grief Educator program designed by world-renowned grief expert, David Kessler. 

Outside of my professional role, I am currently finding my way through several significant life changes.  With the recent ending of my marriage and my young adult sons now living independently, I am navigating midlife solo.  I find solace, perspective and grounding through long trail walks with my beagle-terrier companion, knitting soft scarves, and tending to indoor and outdoor plants. I also enjoy experimenting in the kitchen, and sharing homemade baked goods and soups with the people I love.