Winter IS coming. If you find yourself struggling more or differently this time of year, you are definitely not alone. In addition to changes in sunlight and warmth, many of us face unwanted reminders of loss, tragedy, and major family transitions as the “holiday season” approaches. This increases our need for positive coping skills or perhaps even couple and family conflict management, paradoxically during a time of prescribed happiness and cheer. My therapy is curious, compassionate, honest, empowering, and enthusiastic–a little bit geeky, too. I am always thinking in terms of larger systems, viewing problems as contextual and historical, although I also believe changing individual behavior patterns can positively affect the system as a whole. I am a licensed marriage and family therapist. I earned my Master’s degree through Adler University in Chicago, Illinois, where I formed a broad understanding of the intersection of mental health and social justice issues. I graduated in August of 2013, and since then have worked in a variety of settings, including agencies, a walk-in counseling center, schools, and private practice. In addition to individual therapy, I enjoy family and relationship therapy with ages 11+. I enthusiastically work with folks who are LGBTQIA, kinksters, and consensually non-monogamous partners. I am certified in PREPARE/ENRICH, a program for couples considering marriage/coparenting/cohabitation. I consider myself a “systemic” and “narrative” therapist. I believe that the systems we are in play a profound role in how we form identity, and that our sense of well-being comes from nurturing community and feelings of social belonging. When there is disharmony in our community, in our families, in our relationships, or in our work cultures, we often experience disharmony in our sense of self. Similarly, a sense that there is something wrong within us can lead to deeper examination of the cultural messages we take in, of the quality of our relationships, and of the language we are using to evaluate our problems. I am passionate about the writing process. Because writing is “thought made visible,” I offer clients the option of creative writing, journaling, or letter-writing during our work together. Through language, we can retell our stories and learn to see ourselves in brand new ways.