LONG BIO

When I was little, I was fascinated and terrified by violence and suffering. I channeled this interest into a MS and PhD in Psychology from Penn State University.

My first career was as a health science researcher and a national subject matter expert on sexual trauma. After graduate school, I completed my postdoctoral fellowship with a joint-appointment at the Palo Alto Veterans Health Care System and Stanford Medical School. I then went on to hold research and national policy positions at New York University, the National Center for PTSD, and the Veterans Health Administration. During this time, I co-authored over 30 peer-reviewed studies, US Congressional reports, and book chapters on trauma and resilience. My first-authored work on violence, abuse, and treatment has been cited over 300 times.

My second career was as a clinical psychologist dedicated to treating burnout and trauma, major causes of suffering in our lives and our communities. I have provided therapy, coaching, and clinical supervision to hundreds of patients and professionals in California, Colorado, and New Zealand.

I love this work but have at times been overwhelmed by it. Twice, I struggled to overcome burnout and vicarious trauma, first after treating chronically under-served families at the University of California, San Francisco, then again after serving as co-founding psychologist at a venture-capital backed startup. 

My own journey of pain and growth led to my first book, “The Ballad of Burnout,” which was an Amazon #1 New Release and widely praised as brutally honest, lyrical, and beautiful. 

Now I split my time between writing, providing trauma therapy, and mentoring health professionals.  You can find more details about how to attend my trainings, buy my books, and otherwise stay in touch below.