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About Me

Trained as a social scientist at Vanderbilt University and the University of California, Los Angeles, I have been instructed in various cultural and psychodynamic theories of mind. I combine this philosophical education with evidence-based practices in the fields of psychology and social work to provide you with effective, fulfilling counseling.

My ethnographic field research throughout the Americas has focused on the relationship between spirituality, illness, and healing. I have learned that the most effective approach to transcending psychological suffering is an integrative one that honors the whole person. As such, I have developed a manner of working with clients that incorporates the mind, body and spirit.

My Approach
In our sessions together, I provide a compassionate and nonjudgmental space in which to explore your hardships and celebrate your accomplishments. Traditional psychodynamic methods inform how we attain insight and make connections between your past and present. By employing cognitive-behavioral techniques, w e will identify the patterns of thinking that keep you stuck and exacerbate your pain. Then, we shift the fundamental structures of your thinking towards greater health and happiness. Since human life always comes with challenges, we also strive to develop a liberating sense of awareness and acceptance through mindfulness and meditation practices that tap the wisdom of both mind and body.

Education

Bachelors of Arts , Vanderbilt University
Master of Anthropology , University of California, Los Angeles
Doctor of Philosophy in Anthropology , University of California, Los Angeles
Master of Social Work , California State University Long Beach

License

Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Credential Number 10505, State of Louisiana

Select Honors

  • Social Worker to Watch, Baton Rouge, LA, 2012-2013
  • Best Freshman Essay, Phi Beta Kappa Award, Vanderbilt University, 1995
  • High Honors, Anthropology Honors Thesis, Vanderbilt University, 1998
  • Louisiana Endowment for the Arts, Panel Member, 1998
  • Phi Beta Kappa, Vanderbilt University, 1999
  • Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities and Louisiana Division of the Arts, Film Project, 1997
  • Vanderbilt University Summer Research Program , Guatemala Project, 1998
  • Dr. Ursula Mandel Scholarship, UCLA, 2000 and 2001
  • National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, UCLA, 2001, 2002, 2003
  • National Science Foundation: Dissertation Improvement Fellowship , UCLA, 2004