Individual Therapy | Family Therapy | Parent/Caregiver Support

I provide individual therapy, family therapy, and parent/caregiver support in the Richmond area. I use evidence-based treatments to treat a range of mental health concerns, with a focus in treating older children, teens, and young adults who:

  • Are experiencing mood concerns, such as depression, mood swings, disruptive mood dysregulation disorder (DMDD), and irritability

  • Have difficulties controlling their emotions and behaviors, such as difficulties with anger management

  • Have a history of self-harm and/or suicidal thoughts and behaviors

  • Have experienced trauma or major life stressors

I am passionate about working with people who have difficulties controlling their emotions and behaviors that may have led to problems in their life, including tantrums/meltdowns, arguments, aggression, self-harm, suicidal thoughts, impulsivity, and challenges in their relationships. I also teach parents/caregivers of children and teens strategies to manage challenging emotions and behaviors.

I help individuals learn skills to thrive in their lives using a warm, validating, and direct approach. I incorporate a strengths-based and culturally-responsive approach to tailor evidence-based treatments to meet the individual needs of each client. Together, we will create individualized treatment plans that will result in meaningful changes in your life. I strive to create a culturally-responsive environment that promotes inclusivity across backgrounds. I am LGBTQIA+ and neurodiverse affirming and welcome discussions around these identities in our sessions.

Modalities Used:

  • Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and DBT Skills Training (information below)

  • Cognitive-Behavior Therapy (CBT)

  • Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy (TF-CBT)

  • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)

Do these treatments sound like a good fit for you or your child/teen? Fill out this form to request an appointment. Contact me if you have more questions or want to discuss services.

I specialize in teaching older children, teens, and their families emotion regulation skills using DBT-informed therapy. In addition, I offer the following structured, time-limited DBT Skills Training services to older children, adolescents, and their families:

  • DBT Individual Skills Training [Individual therapy]

    The goal of this service is to reduce your child/teen's distress, help them interact more effectively with others, and improve emotion regulation. This service may be especially helpful for teens who are at risk of acute hospitalization or readmission. It may help prevent higher levels of care (e.g., residential, partial hospitalization), or may be a good step-down service from higher levels of care. I involve parents/caregivers in treatment as needed and relevant. This service may also be suitable for young adults. [Length: about 24 sessions or about 6 months; 50-min session]

  • DBT Family Skills Training [Child or teen plus parent/caregiver(s)]

    The goal of this service is to improve your child/teen's emotion regulation skills, which will help improve your family's relationships and dynamics. This service will also improve youth safety, coping skills, and communication and improve caregivers' use of DBT skills. Youth (older child or teen) and their parent/caregiver(s) meet with me on a weekly basis to learn DBT skills together and role play/practice in sessions. Practice is assigned in between sessions and processed at subsequent sessions. [Length: about 18 sessions or 4.5 months; 60-min session]

  • DBT Caregiver Skills Training [Parents/caregivers individually]

    The goal of this service is to support you (parents/caregivers) in learning and implementing DBT skills to improve the mental health of your child or teen. Our sessions will include learning key DBT skills, reviewing handouts, role play, and processing skills practiced outside of session. You will be asked to practice skills with your child/teen in between sessions. Your child or teen is seeing their own therapist, ideally a DBT therapist. [Length: 6-12 sessions or about 2.5 months, 50-min sessions]

Please note: Comprehensive DBT programs include additional services provided by a team of DBT clinicians (individual therapy, group skills training, phone coaching for in-the-moment support, and a therapist consultation team). Richmond Family Psychology does not provide comprehensive DBT services or DBT phone coaching. It is important to know that higher levels of care, which include the full DBT model, remain essential for people with greater needs. Richmond Family Psychology can assist in referring clients to more intensive services if the lower-intensity DBT-informed approach is insufficient.

In addition, I offer the following trauma-focused evidence based therapies to children, teens, and young adults:

  • Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT)

    Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) is a version of CBT that is designed to treat trauma symptoms following traumatic experiences among children and teenagers. TF-CBT focuses on teaching relaxation skills and changing unhelpful and negative thoughts about the traumatic experience. Caregivers often participate and learn how to support and comfort their child/teen. [Length: about 12-16 sessions or about 3-4 months; 50-min session]

  • Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT)

    Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) is a type of CBT that was designed for teens and adults who experienced a traumatic event and have developed posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms. Clients learn to challenge negative and unhelpful beliefs about their traumatic experience. CPT is designed to be a brief treatment [Length: about 12 sessions or 3 months; 50-minute sessions]