Therapist, educator, and writer on teen mental health
I work with teens and families navigating anxiety, particularly around social media and technology. I also teach, speak, and write about what it means to grow up in an increasingly digital world.
I'm a licensed clinical social worker based in New York. I'm Co-Director of Community Education at The Ross Center and teach at Columbia University's School of Social Work. Before that, I trained at Yale Child Study Center and worked at the Child Mind Institute.
Most of my clinical work focuses on anxiety disorders—social anxiety, OCD, phobias, selective mutism—and increasingly, on the intersection of anxiety and technology. I use evidence-based approaches like CBT, DBT, and exposure therapy, but I'm more interested in understanding each person than following any particular method.
I came to this work through a combination of formal training and personal curiosity about how we're all adapting to rapid technological change—especially young people who don't remember a world without smartphones.
I give talks to schools and parent groups about managing technology and supporting kids' mental health. I've been quoted in various media outlets when journalists need context about teens, anxiety, and digital life.
That feeling after you've been scrolling for hours and suddenly feel worse about everything? That's not random. Here's what's happening in your brain, and more importantly, what you can do about it that actually works.
"Just put your phone down" doesn't work. Neither does taking it away. Here's what does: having conversations about what your teen actually experiences online, without judgment or panic.
New research on what happens when teens step back from social media for even a week. The results are promising, but more nuanced than "social media is bad."
I'm not currently accepting new therapy clients, but I'm available for speaking engagements, media inquiries, and consultations with schools and organizations.