I am a licensed clinical social worker with more than 20 years of experience providing direct care, supervision, and program administration. I work at the intersection of emotional and physical health. I believe that supervision is a place we develop our identity as social workers, deepen our skills, learn to tolerate the complexity of our work, and are accountable for providing safe and effective care to the people we serve.

My theoretical orientation is Relational-Cultural Therapy (RCT). RCT grew out of the psychodynamic traditions and was founded by a feminist named Jean Baker Miller.  Jean Baker Miller demonstrated that humans develop in relationship with each other and as a result psychotherapy ought to honor and foster human relationships and health through connection. The theory has grown with the influence of women of color such as Maureen Walker who expanded upon it to talk explicitly about systems of oppression, such as racism, as factors contributing to human suffering. RCT teaches us to talk about systems of oppression in supervision and with our clients and to work toward issues of equity and social justice: a theoretical framework that lines up well with the social work profession.

I have experience working with a variety of populations including persons with chronic mental illness, active substance use disorders, those in early recovery from substance use disorder, and people facing crises around reproductive health or disability / medical issues. If you are working in an under-resourced system, I understand the moral injury it causes and can help you develop ways to be the best social worker you can be and stay in the field for the long run. If you are struggling with a particular clinical presentation, we can dig into learning together and develop a way of understanding what is happening for your clients and how you can be effective in your interactions with them. If you are learning to be a social work leader, I can help you think about the kind of leader you want to be and how that informs your day to day decision making. I believe that there is value in the care that social workers bring and want to help you develop confidence and clarity around that value. I utilize the same relational approach in supervision that I use in my practice with patients. The work of social work is in our relationships and when we mutually grow together.

Reach out via email to discuss individual, dyad, and group rates for supervision in Missouri, Illinois, and Massachusetts: beaconpsychtherapyllc@gmail.com or 314-328-6094.