Get to know me
I am licensed to work via telehealth with clients residing in the District of Columbia and Virginia. I have been sitting with counseling clients for the last 17 years. While pursuing a masters in counseling at Loyola University Maryland, I became intrigued by relationship work and decided to supplement my graduate program with the 96-hour Imago Relationship theory training program. In 2013, I found myself wanting to learn more about trauma and its impact on relationships, and started the path toward becoming an EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing) certified practitioner.
Other advanced trainings I have completed include the Imago approach for counseling single adults who are seeking more meaningful relationships (2010); the Imago-based parenting course, "Connected Parents/Thriving Kids (2011); Dr. Stan Tatkin's PACT: a psychobiological approach to couples therapy (2014); and Dr. Sue Johnson's Emotionally-Focused Therapy (EFT) externship (2015), Core Skills training (2016) and Core Skills Plus training (2017). In 2019, after several years of study and supervision, I achieved accreditation as an ICEEFT-Certified EFT Therapist. In 2021, I began intensive training in the use of the Enneagram Assessment and its applications in both individual and couples therapy.
Before I began my counseling career, I spent several years working as a business writer and editor. In 2005 I began to combine those reporting skills with my long-term interest in psychology by becoming a regular contributor to the American Counseling Association's Counseling Today magazine. Among other topics, my articles have explored the nuances of counseling couples with infertility issues, conflict resolution, the intersection of sexual identity and spirituality, and coping with autism in the family. The Washington Post has quoted me about family stress during the holidays and how couples can keep their relationships fresh and exciting. I also served as a columnist for the Georgetowner newspaper for seven years, offering advice on intimacy and relationships under the title of "Murphy's Love."
I currently maintain memberships in the American Counseling Association, EMDRIA, the international association of EMDR practitioners and ICEEFT, the International Centre for Excellence in Emotionally Focused Therapy. As part of my ongoing efforts to offer the best counseling services possible, I meet weekly with a small supervision group of other therapists for case consultation and support.
