Thoughtful conversations, tailored treatment
These are the conditions I specialize in treating. Below, you’ll see how each can show up in adults and when it may be time to seek an evaluation.
Anxiety
Book an appointment →When worry stops being useful and starts running the day.
What it is
Anxiety is a normal alarm system that has become too sensitive. The body prepares for danger even when there is no immediate threat, and the mind often starts looking for reasons to explain that feeling. Avoidance can bring quick relief, but it also teaches the brain that the situation was dangerous and that avoiding it kept you safe. Over time, this can make more situations feel difficult and gradually shrink what feels manageable.
Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions in adults and are also some of the most well studied. Anxiety can show up as constant worry, restlessness, physical tension, panic, trouble sleeping, racing thoughts, or feeling unable to switch your mind off. What you are experiencing is well described and well understood, even when it feels hard to explain.
Anxiety often appears during periods of change or uncertainty, such as a new job, a demanding stretch at work, a move, a health scare, caring for someone who is unwell, or becoming a parent. But it is not always situational. Anxiety can run in families, involve the brain’s threat and arousal systems, and sometimes appear without any obvious trigger at all. Not being able to point to a clear reason does not make it any less real.
How it often shows up
- A racing mind at 2 a.m. about things you cannot change
- Chest tightness, nausea, tension, shortness of breath
- Endless rehearsal before ordinary conversations
- Declining things you actually want
- Irritability that arrives before you notice the worry
- Feeling wired and depleted at the same time
Depression
Book an appointment →Depression makes everything harder, including asking for help.
What it is
Depression affects more than mood. It can flatten energy, motivation, sleep, appetite, concentration, and the ability to feel pleasure or interest in things that normally matter to you. It can also make everyday responsibilities feel much harder — affecting work, relationships, parenting, self-care, and your ability to keep up with normal routines.
A depressive episode is typically diagnosed when low mood or loss of interest lasts at least two weeks, most of the day and nearly every day, along with changes in areas like sleep, appetite, energy, concentration, or self-worth. These symptoms can cause meaningful distress and interfere with daily functioning. That distinction matters because depression is different from ordinary sadness, which tends to shift and improve with time.
A careful evaluation looks beyond mood alone. Medical issues such as thyroid problems, anemia, sleep apnea, and certain medications can contribute to or worsen depressive symptoms. Life circumstances matter too: loss, relationship changes, work stress, relocation, caregiving, financial pressure, or a new diagnosis can all play a role. Understanding both what is happening in your life and what may be happening biologically is an important part of choosing the right treatment.
How it often shows up
- Waking already tired
- Losing interest in what used to matter
- Concentration that will not hold
- Sleeping far more or far less than usual
- Harsh self-judgment that feels like simple fact
- Thoughts that life is not worth the effort
Adult attention differences are common, under-recognized, and often missed for years.
What it is
ADHD affects how the brain regulates attention, impulse control, motivation, and effort. In adults, it can show up as difficulty starting or finishing tasks, staying organized, managing time, following through, or directing attention toward what matters rather than whatever feels most interesting or urgent in the moment.
It can also involve emotional dysregulation, frustration intolerance, and sensitivity to criticism or rejection. To meet diagnostic criteria, symptoms must have been present in childhood, even if they were not recognized or diagnosed at the time. Many adults spend years compensating through extra effort, rigid routines, or sheer willpower, which can eventually lead to fatigue, overwhelm, and exhaustion.
ADHD can affect work, relationships, routines, finances, and everyday responsibilities. A careful evaluation looks at the full pattern of symptoms, how long they have been present, how they show up across different areas of life, and whether another condition may better explain them.
How it often shows up
- Starting strong and stalling once novelty fades
- Losing hours to small tasks while the important one waits
- Reading the same paragraph three times
- Interrupting — or rehearsing so hard you say nothing
- Missed deadlines and lost keys despite genuine effort
- Exhaustion from maintaining the systems that keep you afloat
Intrusive thoughts are not confessions, and reassurance never quite settles them.
What it is
OCD involves unwanted, intrusive thoughts, images, or urges that can feel distressing, upsetting, or out of character, along with repetitive behaviors or mental rituals used to reduce that distress. Compulsions can include checking, washing, counting, seeking reassurance, confessing, repeating, or mentally reviewing. They may bring temporary relief, but that relief can reinforce the cycle and make the urge to repeat the behavior stronger over time.
Intrusive thoughts are common and do not automatically mean someone has OCD. What distinguishes OCD is the distress attached to the thought, the meaning or importance given to it, and the feeling that you need to do something to feel safe, certain, or relieved. OCD can become time-consuming and interfere with work, relationships, routines, and daily life.
A major part of OCD is difficulty tolerating uncertainty. You may know logically that something is probably okay but still feel unable to stop checking, reviewing, or asking for reassurance. The relief usually does not last, so the doubt returns and the cycle begins again.
How it often shows up
- Thoughts that horrify you and feel unlike you
- Rituals that have to be done exactly right
- Checking locks, stoves, emails, or your own memory
- Asking people you trust for reassurance, repeatedly
- Avoiding whole situations to keep the thoughts away
- Hours a day lost to loops you can describe but not stop
PTSD & trauma
Book an appointment →The nervous system learned something in an emergency. It can learn something new.
What it is
After a frightening or overwhelming event, the brain and body can stay on high alert even after the danger has passed. Memories may intrude, sleep can become disrupted, and reminders of the event can trigger strong physical or emotional reactions. These responses are part of the body’s stress system, not a sign of weakness.
Trauma- and stressor-related conditions can develop when these symptoms persist or begin to interfere with daily life. Acute stress disorder can occur in the first few days to one month after a traumatic event, while PTSD is considered when symptoms continue for more than a month.
Symptoms can include intrusive memories, nightmares, flashbacks, avoidance of reminders, changes in mood or beliefs, guilt or shame, irritability, sleep problems, and feeling constantly on guard or easily startled. Some people also experience emotional numbness, difficulty concentrating, or a sense of feeling detached from themselves or their surroundings. A careful evaluation looks at the timing, severity, and impact of these symptoms to determine what kind of support may be most helpful.
How it often shows up
- Nightmares, flashbacks, or intrusive images
- Jumpiness and constant scanning for danger
- Numbness, detachment, or feeling far from yourself
- Avoiding places, people, or conversations
- Anger or shame that arrives faster than thought
- Difficulty trusting, including with people close to you
Bipolar disorder
Book an appointment →An accurate picture of both directions of mood changes everything that follows.
What it is
Bipolar disorder involves distinct periods of elevated or irritable mood and increased energy, often alongside episodes of depression. These shifts can affect sleep, thinking, judgment, activity, and daily functioning. Because people often seek help during depressive episodes, bipolar disorder can sometimes look like depression alone unless the history also explores periods of unusually high energy or activation.
Elevated periods can include needing much less sleep without feeling tired, racing thoughts, talking more or faster than usual, increased confidence, taking on many projects, distractibility, irritability, or feeling unusually driven or productive. Some people also become more impulsive or engage in behaviors that are out of character, such as excessive spending, reckless driving, risky sexual behavior, or making unusually bold decisions. These changes may not always feel concerning in the moment. Sometimes the people around you notice them before you do.
Sleep is especially important in bipolar disorder. A reduced need for sleep can be an early sign of mania or hypomania, and significant changes in sleep can accompany shifts in mood and energy. A careful evaluation looks at patterns over time, including depressive episodes, changes in sleep and behavior, impulsivity, family history, and whether periods of elevated mood represent a clear change from your usual self.
How it often shows up
- Stretches of little sleep with unusual energy or drive
- Fast speech, crowded thinking, expansive plans
- Spending or risk-taking that surprises you later
- Depressive periods that follow the high ones
- Family history of bipolar disorder or mood episodes
- Depressive episodes that have not responded to multiple trials of antidepressant medications
- Family and friends stating they are worried about my behavior
A simple first step toward the right care
Start with a short pre-screening form. I review it myself and let you know if the practice is a good fit. From there, you’ll complete your intake packet, schedule your appointment, and then meet with me for your 75-minute evaluation.
Start the pre-screening form