Blog

On this blog, I use characters from comic books and graphic novels to bring CBT and DBT skills to life. I also write posts for parents and caregivers on how to talk with your teen about therapy, and other topics that come up when someone you care for needs support. Research suggests that people who know what to expect from therapy are more likely to stick with it and benefit from it. These posts offer a glimpse of the skills I practice with my clients, so that you know ahead of time what therapy with me is like.

Latest For Parents
For Parents When Your Child Can’t Face School: Understanding School Avoidance

If getting your child to school has become a daily struggle, this post will help you understand what may be going on beneath the stomachaches, the tears, and the “I’m not going.” You’ll learn what school avoidance is and why staying home feeds the fear instead of easing it. You’ll also find tips on where to turn for support.

October 7, 2026 6 min read
DBT Skills Why Helping Someone Else Quiets Your Head and Thaws You Out
Are you looking for a way to connect with others and feel better about yourself? Following Anya’s example in K. O’Neill’s graphic novel The Moth Keeper and using the DBT Contribute skill might be worth your time. This skill was designed to help people get through a rough moment when whatever feels broken can’t be fixed right away.
Aug 2, 2026 6 min read
For Parents To Help the Tween/Teen Beside You, Put On Your Own Oxygen Mask First
On an airplane, you would secure your own oxygen mask before helping your child. Parenting a tween or teen through an emotional storm works the same way. This blog post offers practical ways to care for yourself first, so your calm becomes the steadiness they can lean on. It is not a replacement for therapy. If you are ever worried about your child’s immediate safety, please reach out to your local emergency number or the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline right away.
Jul 27, 2026 6 min read
CBT "I'm Going to Be Grounded for My Entire Life": Why We Do Things We Regret
Do you sometimes find yourself doing things that feel good in the moment but that you later regret? This post explains how that happens and what you can do to change it. What you’ll read here is not a substitute for therapy: if your actions consistently create problems for you or for others at home or at school, please work with me or another therapist trained in the DBT or UP-A protocols.
Jul 15, 2026 4 min read
Identity Finding Yourself One Dot at a Time: Tegan and Sara and the Gender Unicorn
If you’ve read Tegan and Sara Quin’s Junior High, you know how much of that story is about figuring out who you are (the crushes, the questions, the stuff that’s hard to say out loud). In this post, you’ll read about a tool called the Gender Unicorn that can help you explore those same questions in your own life and at your own pace.
Jul 14, 2026 3 min read
For Parents What Misophonia Is & How I Can Help
For many families the hardest part of misophonia is the time spent not knowing it exists. This blog post explains what misophonia is and suggests where to turn next.
Jul 13, 2026 3 min read
CBT When the Night Feels Too Big: What Anya Can Teach Us About Fear
Do your fears sometimes feel bigger than you? This blog post about Anya's fears during her night watch reminds you that thoughts, feelings, and actions are interconnected. A simple one-week experiment helps you notice your own thoughts in fearful moments as a first, doable step toward feeling less at your fear's mercy. The experiment is not a replacement for therapy. To get a therapeutic effect, you want to work with me or another therapist who is trained in UP-A.
Jul 7, 2026 4 min read
For Parents How to Talk to Your Teen About Therapy
Talking with your teen about therapy can feel daunting. These suggestions, drawn from techniques I use with my own teen clients, focus on listening first and respecting your teen’s pace.
Jul 5, 2026 3 min read
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