I was born and raised in Seattle and graduated from the University of Washington. Later I moved to New York City and lived there for nearly twenty years before returning to Seattle in 2014. While in New York I went to medical school and psychiatry residency at Mount Sinai School of Medicine on the Upper East Side of Manhattan. I did my Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Fellowship at New York University where I learned how effective behavioral therapy can be in the treatment of anxiety, depression and other psychiatric problems. 

After my fellowship I returned to Mount Sinai as a faculty member where I treated patients with many different backgrounds and psychiatric issues. I spent my last few years in New York  as the medical director of the Mount Sinai OCD Treatment Center working with children, adolescents and adults with OCD and related disorders. During this time I worked closely with a very talented group of clinicians who helped me further developed my skills in treatment of psychiatric illness with medication and behavioral therapy.

In 2014 I returned home to Seattle, joined the faculty at the UW, and started working at Seattle Children’s Hospital. I remain on the faculty at the UW as a Clinical Assistant Professor.

As a psychotherapist I enjoy working within the cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) framework. I've also had training in psychodynamic and supportive therapies though I feel I'm most effective when using CBT. I prefer a straightforward approach and enjoy the sense of collaboration that comes with behavioral therapy. Of course the best thing about behavioral therapy is how useful it can be.