Holistic Mental Health
About
I also have a passion for supporting the chronic illness community. As someone with multiple life-altering chronic illnesses [including hypermobility spectrum disorder (HSD)], I know first-hand how impactful these diagnoses can have on an individual and family system. I practice therapy through a non-judgmental, non-pathologizing stance, aiming to guide you in exploring the values in your life that are most important to you. My goal as a therapist is to stand in the gap, expanding the care that I can provide through the emotional support to families (and the people who care for them). Along with my Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy, I also have my Masters in Palliative Care. I have worked as a palliative care counselor as well as facilitating grief groups for bereaved parents. As an intern therapist, I volunteered for MaxLove Project and provided hundreds of hours of therapy to children, teens, individuals, couples, & families.
EDS Healthcare in New York
The NYIT EDS/Hypermobility Treatment Center operates in Old Westbury and Central Islip, offering specialized rehabilitation and treatment. Mount Sinai South Nassau Chiari EDS Center in Oceanside focuses on EDS with Chiari malformation. Weill Cornell provides pain management expertise. New York Medicaid covers genetic testing with prior authorization. Wait times at major programs can be 6 months or longer.
Both EDS Centers of Excellence are on Long Island, leaving upstate New York significantly underserved. Patients in Buffalo, Syracuse, Rochester, and the Adirondacks face drives of 4-6+ hours to reach these programs. Wait times of 6 months or more are common. Rural upstate access is very limited, and telehealth is important for follow-up care.
Finding Mental Health for EDS
Look for a therapist who has worked with chronic illness patients and understands that EDS-related anxiety and depression often have physical triggers, not just psychological ones.