Hi! I'm a licensed psychologist who helps people overcome OCD and anxiety. 

I made this website as ugly as possible. Why? Because it makes me worry! Here's what my mind says: This looks unprofessional! I'll get sued! My career will collapse and my family will be ruined!

Leaving the website like this is called an “exposure.” That's psychology-speak for standing up to my fears. Even though my wildest fears might come true, I am choosing to say this site is "good enough" and then go live my life (e.g., play strategy games, make faces at my daughter). I'm choosing NOT not to hide in fear (e.g., waste hours ruminating about this website, or tweaking until it feels "perfect").

Back when I was a young adult paralyzed by OCD, this move would have seemed impossible. But since then, I've spent over a decade developing expertise in behavior change and cognitive-behavioral therapies. I hold master's and doctoral degrees in clinical psychology and trained with some of the original developers of Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP). I also attended the Behavior Therapy Training Institute from the International OCD Foundation, generally considered the best training in Exposure and Response Prevention (ERP) for OCD. Professionally, I have held research roles in the psychology departments at Stanford University and the University of Washington; co-authored research on healthcare relationships in the Journal of General Internal Medicine, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, and other peer-reviewed journals; and presented findings at professional conferences in the U.S. and abroad. Most importantly, I've had the honor of helping hundreds of people work on living full, connected lives, even when their anxiety says to keep running in circles.

Think exposure might be helpful for you, too? The science likely agrees: exposure and response prevention (ERP) is widely understood to be the most effective treatment for OCD/anxiety. We'll explore your own version of an "ugly website" — your unique way of standing up to your deepest, weirdest fears. I'll be beside you the entire way, whether we're high-fiving with contaminated hands, tasting snacks you worry are poisoned, writing love notes to a partner you're constantly doubting, or finding the humor in your horrifying thoughts about hurting innocent people. 

And because I practice from an ACT perspective, our exposures will aim even higher than merely reducing your anxiety. We will try to radically open up your life, so obsessions and compulsions aren't distracting you from who and what is truly important. This work will be guided by up-to-date scientific evidence, but it will be a very collaborative and human process, not a mechanical one. 

Questions about working together? Please feel free to contact me - I'd love to connect with you by email or phone.