About Me - My Philosophy, Areas of Expertise, & Background

Practice Philosophy

No matter who you are or your background, parenting is hard and often feels overwhelming and isolating. My practice is primarily focused on working with parents, giving them strategies and tools to help them and their kids through various challenges. I strongly believe that parents know their kids best, and that they’re the ones with the most agency to facilitate growth through coaching and modeling.

My work with families is a collaborative process. Although I provide ideas and suggestions based on my expertise in child development and attachment, my initial goal is actively listening to families so I can better understand their concerns, strengths, challenges, and goals. Parents and kids are all different, as are the dynamics between them, and what works for one family may not work for another. My job is to help each family find what works for them.

Areas of Expertise

I have a particular interest in working with children with anxiety and their families, with a specialty in treating selective mutism (SM). I’ve attended multiple trainings including ones in Parent-Child Interaction Therapy – SM (PCIT-SM) and Supportive Parenting for Anxious Childhood Emotions (SPACE). I also have training in working with children with autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, developmental delays, and depression, among others.

In addition to treating anxiety, I provide consultations to families looking for help around specific issues such as screen time, bedtime/sleep, and toilet training, among others. I also work with families looking for help in identifying their values and how they can better align their lives with those values, an endeavor that modern day life often makes challenging.

Educational & Clinical Background

I was born and raised in North Carolina and graduated from UNC – Chapel Hill in 2009 (go Heels!). Following graduation, I worked with children with autism before moving to Charlottesville in 2011 to attend graduate school at the University of Virginia. While there I also became a first-time mom, giving birth to my son in 2014.

As part of my doctoral training, I completed a year-long internship at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) in Portland where I worked in behavioral pediatrics and with medically complex children. In 2016, I graduated from UVA with a Ph.D. in clinical psychology. Following graduation, I moved back to the Triangle where I completed my postdoctoral training at the Duke Center for Autism & Brain Development. 

Following the birth of my daughter in 2017, I decided to stay home for a year before accepting a job as a staff psychologist at Silber Psychological Services, P.A. in Raleigh/Cary. During the pandemic, I made the decision to open my own practice and pursue a career as a solo practitioner.

Giving Back

When I’m not working at my practice, I can be found volunteering for Project Enlightenment. I’ve served on the Board of Directors for the Project Enlightenment Foundation since 2022 and am the current chair of the Fund Development committee. If you’re not familiar with Project Enlightenment, check out all of the wonderful work they’re doing by clicking the link below!

https://www.wcpss.net/projectenlightenment

Life Outside of Work

In my free time, you can usually find me with my husband and two kids, biking one of the local trails, grabbing ice-cream at Two Roosters, or spending time in the mountains. If I’m by myself, I can almost always be found curled up in a chair reading.