I’m a clinical psychologist, based in Boulder, Colorado, with a special focus on working with children, adolescents, and college age-students and I have a specialty in assessing and treating anxiety with evidenced based therapy interventions.
I am passionate about helping individuals in all ages of their life learn to understand, face, and overcome their anxiety.
Oftentimes, people who seek help with their anxiety are struggling with:
- Uncontrollable worries and fears that cause them anxiety and distress
- Uncomfortable physical symptoms that may include short breath, dizziness, racing heartbeat, stomach and headaches
- Avoidance behaviors where they actively avoid places, people, and situations
- Excessively needing reassurance or depending on others
- Compulsive checking behaviors that are becoming time-consuming and upsetting
I feel privileged to have helped so many children, young adults, and families.
I appreciate the inherent difficulties people face when trying to live with intense anxiety and the bravery it takes to come and talk to a therapist and look at painful thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
The reason I have chosen to specialize in anxiety counseling is that I truly believe it is a very treatable condition and I have known and had the honor of working with people through their struggles and most importantly, watch them get better!
How I became a psychologist
I started my own career development when I was a college student and decided to become a psychology major. My parents are from Italy and as a teen and young adult, I had a long standing interest in observing and learning about cultural differences and attitudes among adolescents living in different countries.
As I was approaching the end of my undergraduate studies, I had been considering a career in art history, but I realized my true passion lie in helping others and making a difference in the world. If I can do my part to alleviate human suffering, then the world can be a better place. When I was able to identify that this was truly important to me I have remained focused in pursuing my goals.
I earned a master’s degree in counseling and it was during this time that I first worked with preschool age children. Not only was this work challenging, but I thought the kids were really cute and fun, as I was constantly in awe of children’s way of looking at the world and communication through play.
My career progressed towards working with people of all ages throughout the lifespan. I believed that in order to truly have an understanding of development and how adults function that I should have experience in working with very young children and individuals all the way through adulthood.
In south Florida, I worked as a licensed master’s level mental health counselor for about 7 years in foster care and community mental health centers. I learned the intricacies of how trauma, including physical, sexual abuse and neglect impacts one’s ability to trust others and navigate this complex world. These experiences and the pain these children endured humbled me and opened my eyes to injustices in social equity, diversity, and priviledge. I feel lucky to have known each and every child and family I worked with and watched grow. One of the major lessons I learned is that children are truly resilient and brave and that change can happen at any stage in life. Even given horrible circumstances, I believe there are many reasons to maintain hope and optimism.
Furthermore, I began to learn of ropes of private practice in a group practice in Coral Springs, Florida and my business, entreprenurial skills began to develop.
Completing my doctorate in clinical psychology
I decided it was time for me to return to school to complete my doctorate in clinical psychology, because I knew I wanted more education and training in order to be the best therapist I could be and in turn, more effectively help those in need.
Through my coursework, training, and research I continued to learn about child and lifespan development, various treatment modalities and theoretical orientations, as well as neuropsychological and a range of diagnostic assessment measures, deepening my understanding of the brain and how this impacts emotion, behavior, and personality. My doctoral research looked at the development of early attachment and impact of trauma on personality development.
My training at Miami Children’s Hospital and Children’s Hospital Colorado was invaluable, as I continued my growth as a psychologist. I worked in inpatient, partial day, and outpatient psychiatric departments, as well as in pediatric health settings including a primary care clinic, medical day treatment program, and consultation liason service.
After my pre-doctoral internship, my post doctoral fellowship at the Boulder Institute for Psychotherapy and Research helped me integrate all that I had learned along my career path and deepened my understanding and compassion for human suffering and how therapy and I as a therapist can be healing towards others. Additional post doctoral supervison and case consultation in evidence based anxiety treatment with Dr. Michael Stein, at Anxiety Solutions in Denver continued to help refine my skills as I narrowed my specialty to effective evidenced based anxiety assessment and psychotherapy interventions.
My private practice (as of 2011)
Now in private practice, I choose to focus my work on treating anxiety issues with children, teens, college students, and adults.
I am empowered by my clients as I know and see how change is possible. I continued my affiliation with the Boulder Institute of Psychotherapy and Research as a supervisor until 2012 and I found great fulfillment in being a part of training new therapists seeking licensure in social work and psychology.
In the fall of 2015, I began my affiliation with the University of Colorado, Boulder (CU), Department of Psychology and Neuroscience, in training PhD students in child cognitive behavioral therapy. Since this is an adult treatment focused program, requests for child therapy training are not common.
Additionally, I enjoy an active collaboration with CU Sports Medicine and Performance Center. This has been a passion that I find very fullfilling and I get to collaborate in the treatment of athletes who have suffered TBIs/ concussions, medical complications, anxiety, depression, and grief and loss issues related to injuries.
In my current practice, I enjoy being a part of a person’s development at all stages, from the cute and challenging young child, to the teen and college student searching to discover who they are and find their place in this world, to the adult who is working hard to be the best they can be. I find it an honor to be invited into my client’s families and lives.
With the onset of the pandemic in Spring 2020, I moved my practice to telehealth. This was quite the abrupt transition and I’ve seen the need for mental health interventions increase exponentially. I have resumed in person meetings and I now offer a combination of in-person and telehealth services.
In 2020 I learned about the legislative efforts that were getting underway in Colorado to pave the way for prescribing psychologists to get licensed and practice in the state. In Fall 2021, I started an online post-doctoral master’s degree in clinical psychopharmacology. It’s been a passion of mine ever since I worked side by side with a psychiatrist in a therapuetic outpatient program in the 1990s- early 2000s. I recall participating in treatment team meetings and medication appointments and learned a lot. Additionally, during my time at Miami Children’s Hospital and Colorado Children’s Hospital, I was trained with a holistic, intergrative approach to case consepulazation and treatment. With further post doctoral training in biology and body systems, neuroscience, and neuropharmachology, I am deepening my understanding of the role of psychopharmachology as a treatment tool. As a psychologist, this education will help me provide more effective services and care for my clients. The Colorado Psychological Association RxP task force submited legislation in January 2023 for prescriptive authority (i.e. RxP) for psychologists. AND Govenor Polis signed the bill into law on March 3, 2023!
I am diligently working on completing this training so that I can apply for this new license to become a prescribing psychologist.
On a personal note, I grew up and went to school on the east coast, specifically New York, Boston, and south Florida. I enjoy visiting my family and friends and going to the beach in Florida. I also love living in Boulder and exploring and enjoying the mountains in the winter and summer with my elementary school age daughter. We especially love going to pumpkin patches in the fall.
If you love dogs, you’ll be happy to meet our office therapy dog, the sweetest rescue named Gracie. She knows her job is the greet the clients and provide TLC when wanted. At home we have a black rescue cat, named Midnight, and special needs rescue kitten, named Pixie. Don’t be surprised to catch a glimpse of the cats, if we do a telehealth session.
In my free time, I enjoy skiing, hiking, cooking nutritious plant-based foods, dining out, going to festivals, and travel as well as developing my mindful meditation practice and furthering my skills and education.
Qualifications and Degrees
- Licensed Psychologist, State of Colorado
- Post doctoral Master’s of Science, Clinical Psychopharmacology, Fairleigh Dickinson University
- Doctor of Psychology, Clinical Psychology, Nova Southeastern University
- Master of Arts, Counseling Psychology, Boston College
- Bachelor of Arts, Psychology major, Italian and Spanish minors, Boston University
Professional Associations
- PSYPACT, APIT Authority to Practice Interjurisdictional Telepsychology
- American Psychological Association, (APA) Division 53, Society of Clinical Child and Adolescent
Psychology, Division 55, Society for Prescribing Psychology - Anxiety and Depression Association of America (ADAA)
- Colorado Psychological Association (CPA) Colorado Prescriptive Authority Initiative Task Force member (CO RxP)
- University of Colorado, Boulder (CU) Past Clinical community supervisor
Areas of continued education and advanced psychology training
- Advanced training in evidenced-based, cognitive behavioral therapies for anxiety and depression, Exposure with response prevention (E/RP) and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT). Advanced mindfulness skills meditation and cultivating self compassion, Nutritional and functional medicine interventions, “1,2,3 Magic” Parenting Skills training, Telemental Health for kids and families, Disordered eating and body image concerns.
- National Institute for the Clinical Application of Behavioral Medicine (NICABM) ongoing continuing education courses with neuroscience and evidenced-based therapuetic intereventions for anxiety, depression, shame, perfectionism, and trauma.
- Ongoing training in the areas of telepsychology and clinical psychopharmacology.
I can help you overcome your anxiety by helping you choose actions and interactions in a way that will be consistent with your values and will bring you greater relief and freedom.
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