One size does not fit all when it comes to therapy.

For many years, I have provided competent and confidential therapy to individuals, couples, and groups. My work is tailored to my patients' specific needs – I am interactive and collaborative, and believe therapy should be dynamic and energized. My style is warm, inviting, and focused on goals that matter to you!

Individual Adult Therapy

Trained as a generalist, I am particularly interested in working in the following areas:

• Anxiety

• Depression

• Life transitions

• OCD (Ex/RP Trained)

• Traumatic experiences (EMDR Trained)

• Relationship issues

• Parenting

• Sexuality and gender

• Fulfillment in life

• Loss and grief

• Postpartum anxiety and depression

• Self-esteem

Individual Adolescent Therapy

Therapy for a teenager is different than for an adult. In this relationship, your adolescent will be working on increasing their self-esteem and finding their voice in relation to friends, parents, and siblings. They may have a mental health issue to work on managing, and I provide a safe, collaborative space for them to feel understood and to see themselves beyond their diagnosis, while also helping them cope with it and not letting it define them. In addition, I specialize in adolescent coming out and transitioning. Sometimes, I utilize a family systems approach to bring in the whole family when a more serious issue needs addressing, such as truancy, suicide threats, and drug/alcohol use.

Learn about Dr. Marks's group seminar for teens and parents, Propel: Essential Life Skills for Life Beyond High School, here.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans  (LGBT) Affirmative Therapy

LGBTQ affirmative therapy is an approach to therapy that embraces a positive view of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans, and Queer (LGBTQ) identities and relationships. It addresses the impact homophobia, biphobia, transphobia, and heterosexism have on the lives of LGBTQ clients. In addition to exploring how negative messages and experiences impact one's sense of self and identity, LGBT affirmative therapy provides a safe space to process one's own internalization of these negative messages.

I believe in exploring and examining the intersection of an LGBTQ identity with one's ethnicity, socioeconomic status, religion, or age. I also value creating a safe and accepting space to share your story and explore your thoughts and feelings, free of judgment and imposed values or beliefs. 

Whether you are exploring your sexuality for the first time, coming out, dating, parenting, or wanting to dig deeper into how negative messages and experiences you have encountered regarding non-heterosexual / non-cis gendered identities may play a role currently in your personal, relational, and/or professional life, I would be honored to support you at this time.

Couples & relationship counseling

Romantic relationships, at their best, can be deeply satisfying, rich and fulfilling experiences. When conflict arises, they can also be a source of hurt, sadness, and frustration. I provide relationship counseling to get through the difficult times and come out stronger.

I take an interpersonal approach, which means I work to identify and improve communication patterns and styles of relating to one another.  I strive to create a safe space for you to explore, learn, and grow together.

Areas of focus:

• Communication

• Trust

• Connection

• Intimacy

• Passion

• Sexuality

• Pre-marital counseling

• Parenting

• Family of origin issues

Coaching for Children and Teens

Sometimes your child will not want traditional therapy, or may not need it. Coaching is a different modality that provides encouragement and support to help you child maximize their unique goals.  For example, I work with high school athletes on focus, problem solving, leadership skills, and self-esteem which can enhance performance.  I also coach teenage girls find their voice-through improving assertiveness, self-esteem and friendships.

Parenting

When your adolescent is having a hard time adjusting to high school, has new friends you don’t think are “good influences,” or is just not communicating with you anymore, it can be time to consult with a mental health professional. With years of working with adolescents in various settings, I have a keen awareness as to their ways of thinking and what they need from their parents as they are developing their independence. Later, parents may need some support to help their college-bound child adapt to their new situation. I can help you navigate those situations and provide support when you aren’t sure what to do.  

Parenting is a relationship very different than the couple relationship and sometimes requires an exploration before or during the throes of parenting. Whether you are planning to become parents, are new parents, or are experienced parents, there are times when navigating your family system can require a shift in thinking. I have worked with parents to take back the power from their children, by utilizing a family systems approach that helps the child feel cared for but also that there are consequences for their behaviors.

My style is warm, interactive, direct and collaborative.

As a licensed clinical psychologist, I am dedicated to working with individual adolescents, adults, couples and parents to foster personal growth and well-being. I believe my role is to cultivate a safe and affirming relationship through which clients can develop greater self-compassion and self-confidence to engage more authentically with themselves and others. With a greater understanding of one's own process and emotional experience, I work to help empower my clients to "do it differently" and shift out of patterns or cycles that no longer serve them.

While I adapt my therapeutic intervention style to best fit the needs of each client, I primarily approach and conceptualize from a psychodynamic framework.

I draw upon my training in other theoretical orientations such as Relational Cultural, Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Motivational Interviewing (MI), and mindfulness practices when appropriate in session. Additionally, I utilize Gottman Couples Therapy when approaching my work with couples and partners. I believe humor, music, art, and metaphor are creative ways to help unlock stuck areas and help you move forward towards understanding.

When I am asked why I do the work I do, my answer is simple: I can't imagine doing anything else.

I am inspired witnessing the strides my clients make – taking risks, being vulnerable, standing in their truth. I feel endless gratitude that I am permitted the privilege and honor to engage in work that I love and care about so deeply.