Dr. Nancy has spent the past 30 years
studying what makes people “do what they do” &
developing an integrative approach to help her clients
live, love, work & play.
Dr. Nancy initially trained as a Clinical Psychologist with an emphasis on psychoanalytic psychotherapy for children/teens and their parents. She maintains a play therapy practice and meets with preschool and elementary school children, tweens, teens and, at times, their parent(s). Her approach emphasizes the strengthening of a child/teen’s cohesive sense of self - who they are, their strengths, challenges and resources, and how they can participate and contribute as their unique selves. She also provides couples therapy for parents who wish to create more harmony in the home, which is often predicated on developing relationship skills as partners beyond parenting roles.
Early in her career, Dr. Nancy also received her certification in Adult Psychoanalysis. She works with a diverse population of adults of varying ages. Working with clients in different life stages, Dr. Nancy has a nuanced understanding of the “problems” that bring people into therapy. An unwanted yet intractable behavioral pattern is often a person’s best attempt to find security while navigating a developmental task within a specific context. The non-judgmental reframing of pathology as a “best adaptation” is the first step toward transformation. This step opens the door for change to occur via self-understanding, self-compassion and self-alignment. These three elements are key to consolidating one’s self, feeling whole and living with integrity. For anyone at any age, they create the bedrock of security within oneself, with others and with life.
Dr. Nancy's work uniquely integrates mindfulness and meditation as adjunct treatment modalities. As a certified Meditation and Mindfulness Teacher and meditator for over 40 years, she works with clients to develop mindfulness - a presence of mind - in daily life. Mindfulness can be fostered with a formal meditation practice or by simply paying attention to the present moment throughout the course of a day. Mindfulness is proven to reduce anxiety, stress and distractibility and to promote better sleep, emotional regulation and self-awareness. Perhaps most importantly, mindfulness creates the pause needed to find the choice points of empowered change.
Common Issues
for Children
Being highly sensitive; giftedness; learning differences; emotional dysregulation; attentional problems: separation anxiety; school anxiety; oppositional behavior; and lack of creative play.
Social anxiety; peer problems; under-confidence; withdrawal; apprehension about the future; screen dependence/addiction; lack of creative outlets; parental divorce.
for Tweens
for Teens
Scholastic disinterest; adolescent/parent discord; difficulty in articulating feelings and needs; "coming out" and integration of sexual orientation and/or gender identity; disruptive school or social behaviors; peer problems; feelings of alienation; self-critical; grief and loss; parental divorce; apprehension about launching.
Perimenopause: mid-life; professional development; work-related concerns; anxiety/stress; martial or relational issues; parenting concerns; infertility; grief and loss; childhood trauma; life transitions; and life review.