In another life, if you weren’t working in counseling, what would you be doing?
I’d probably be a movie critic! I’ve been in love with cinema ever since I saw “Clash of the Titans” when I was four years old. In my humble opinion, cinema is the highest form of art—the perfect marriage of several disciplines. Few things give me more joy than “the movie experience” in a packed theater—watching and analyzing a great film, or a bad film done well.
What is a self-care ritual you practice?
At least once a month, I “unplug from the Matrix” with a 90-minute sensory deprivation “float.” I emerge feeling refreshed, deeply relaxed, and introspective.
What do you specialize in?
I specialize in couple therapy. Depending on the needs and goals of the couple, I incorporate techniques from different interventions including Integrative Behavioral Couple Therapy, Emotionally Focused Therapy, and the Gottman Method.
What research areas are you interested in?
As a couple therapist, I’m especially interested in what research shows about how positive intimate relationships can lead to better health overall. Understanding more about this association, which is well-documented and consistent across race and ethnicity, has the potential to help our field develop innovative and broadly accessible interventions.