Specializations

Anxiety is one of the most common mental health challenges in modern days. The most common types of clinical anxiety (and symptoms) that I see in my practice include generalized anxiety disorder (persistent and excessive worry), panic disorder (sudden intense fear and physical symptoms), and social anxiety disorder (overwhelming fear of social situations). Symptoms often overlap and may include restlessness, irritability, trouble concentrating, sleep difficulties, muscle tension, rapid heartbeat, sweating, dizziness, gastrointestinal discomfort, and a strong urge to avoid anxiety-provoking situations, significantly interfere with daily life.

Therapy is highly effective in treating anxiety by helping you uncover the underlying causes of your worries, challenge negative thought patterns, and develop practical coping strategies to manage physical symptoms.

Relocating to a new country changes more than your address. Whether you are an expatriate on an international assignment, an accompanying partner who set aside your own career, or a new immigrant building a life in South Carolina, the excitement of a fresh start is often followed by a quieter, harder season: loneliness, culture shock, homesickness, grief for the people, places, statuses left behind, and an unsettling sense that you no longer quite know who you are. Because the move looked like an opportunity, many people feel they have no right to struggle, and so they struggle alone.

I’ve lived cross-cultural transitions firsthand, across several countries since I was a late teen. In cultural transition counseling, we make room for both what the move has given you and what it has cost you. Together we work to grieve what was lost, rebuild connection and confidence, and create a sense of belonging that honors both your home culture and your new one.

Grief can come from many types of losses, including the death of a loved one, divorce, loss of a job, or even the more subtle causes such as changes in lifestyle, health, or identity. The mental health impacts of grief are wide-ranging. In the short term, people may experience shock, denial, sadness, anger, guilt, confusion, and physical symptoms like sleep problems or fatigue. Long-term or unresolved grief can lead to depression, anxiety, social withdrawal, and even post-traumatic stress symptoms. Grief may also disrupt concentration, appetite, and immune function, and can challenge spiritual beliefs or sense of meaning.

While no therapy can help you “get over“ the deep sense of loss, through empathetic therapy, you can learn to manage painful emotions, reduce feelings of guilt or blame, and reconnect with meaningful activities and relationships.

Research suggests that the average person experiences a significant life transition every 12 to 18 months, with particularly major changes—sometimes called "lifequakes"—occurring 3 to 5 times over a lifetime. Common stressful life transitions through which I have the privilege of supporting my clients include starting or finishing school, entering the workforce, moving across state lines/countries, changing careers, getting married or divorced, becoming a parent, experiencing health challenges, coping with the loss of a loved one, to name a few. Maladjustments to life transitions can negatively affect mental health, academic or work performance, and overall quality of life.

While I cannot change the stressful and possibly difficult transition you’re facing, I’ll work with you to develop personalized coping strategies that empower you to navigate challenges with a growth mindset and greater resilience.

Depression and bipolar disorder are mood disorders that I often see in my practice. Both conditions can significantly impact daily life, relationships, and overall well-being. Some common presentations of depression include persistent feelings of sadness, hopelessness, low energy, and loss of interest in activities; while bipolar disorder involves cycles of depressive episodes and periods of elevated or irritable mood known as mania or hypomania. Both conditions can cause changes in sleep, appetite, concentration, and motivation, but bipolar disorder is distinguished by its alternating mood states.

With proper diagnosis and treatment—including therapy, medication, and lifestyle support—individuals with depression or bipolar disorder can manage symptoms and lead fulfilling lives.

Stress and burnout share many symptoms, such as headaches, fatigue, sleep problems, irritability, anxiety, and difficulty concentrating. When stress becomes chronic, it can lead to burnout, which is marked by persistent exhaustion, reduced performance, cynicism or detachment, a sense of ineffectiveness, just to name a few symptoms. Burnout may also cause frequent illness, loss of motivation, and withdrawal from usual activities.

Having a safe, supportive space in therapy to explore underlying causes, process difficult emotions, and develop practical tools for stress management, emotion regulation, and restoring work-life balance, empowers you to regain a sense of control, improve well-being, and prevent future burnout.