My Therapy Approach
About Me
Hi, I'm Missy (she/her), a Licensed Professional Counselor who specializes in supporting teen and young adult women just like you.
I first knew I wanted to be a therapist back in middle school. I remember feeling lost—overwhelmed by mood swings, friendship drama, and constant self-doubt. I didn't feel I could turn to the adults in my life because I was too afraid of being dismissed or misunderstood. I held back from opening up or letting myself be even more vulnerable. During those tough times, I made a promise to myself: one day, I'd become the person I wished I had back then—someone who would truly listen, understand, and support without judgment.
I know what it's like to feel invisible. To feel like you're somehow both not enough yet too much for others. To feel trapped in self-doubt, always setting impossible standards for yourself. To be labeled "dramatic" or "moody" when, really, what you're feeling runs so much deeper. I understand the need for validation and the overwhelming pressure of trying to manage it all alone.
As a firstborn daughter and lifelong high achiever, I spent years trying to be "the good one." Not because anyone demanded perfection from me, but because some part of me believed that being good — quiet, responsible, easy — was how I earned value. I apologized constantly, even for things that weren't my fault, and I tried not to need too much or take up too much space.
I now understand how exhausting it is to carry expectations you put on yourself, and how deeply that shapes your sense of worth.
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Middle school me
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High school me
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High school came with its own challenges — insecurity, self-consciousness, and that constant tug-of-war between wanting to be seen and wanting to disappear. But there was one bright moment I still carry with me: my prom.
My crush surprised me by agreeing to go with me. I remember being nervous, excited, and terrified all at once — the very definition of "big feelings." Each table had little gold stars scattered across it. At the end of the night, I scooped up a handful of that stardust and tucked it into my purse, not knowing how meaningful those stars would become.
For years afterward, during some of the hardest moments of my life, those gold stars kept resurfacing — in the car, stuck to a page in a book, hiding in a drawer. Each time, they reminded me:
There were bright moments before.
There will be bright moments again.
Just look for the light.
Those tiny stars became a symbol of hope during times when I couldn't find my own. They still show up when I need them most, and they remind me that everyone has light inside them — even when it feels dim.
This is why I named my practice Stardust Therapy: because healing often begins with the smallest spark of hope.
After graduating college, I hit a crossroads I didn't expect. My whole identity had been built around being the good student, the overachiever, the one who did everything "right." And suddenly, I didn't have grades or gold stars telling me who I was anymore.
If I wasn't a student… who was I?
That identity confusion — that floating, in-between feeling — is something I see in many of my clients today. It's disorienting to no longer know who you are, especially when so much of your worth has been tied to performance or meeting expectations. After years of feeling out of place socially, I also longed for connection — the kind of steady, genuine friendships that help you remember you're not alone.
I wasn't quite ready for grad school yet, but I couldn't become a therapist until I finish my master's degree. I felt stuck and uncertain of my next steps.
College me
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I didn't have the answers then. What I did have was a quiet intuition telling me to step into something that felt meaningful. So I joined the Mercy Volunteer Corps, spending two years serving communities and working in foster care with children and teens navigating some of life's hardest challenges.
I had already begun finding steady friendships in college — the kind I'd been longing for throughout my earlier years. But my MVC community expanded that in ways I couldn't have predicted. Living and serving alongside others, especially during such a difficult and historic time, showed me what it meant to be supported, valued, and genuinely seen. The bonds we built through shared service and shared grief became lifelong — my NYC community even attended my wedding over a decade later.
Those years changed me in ways I couldn't have imagined. They taught me how to see the whole person, how to sit with pain without trying to fix it, and how to show up for people with compassion and curiosity instead of judgment. They pushed me to reflect on my own values, identity, and worldview — and helped me find a sense of purpose beyond achievement.
My graduate and doctoral training in counseling continued that journey. While my degrees include spiritual integration, my work is not religious or prescriptive. To me, holistic counseling simply means honoring every part of your lived experience — your identity, culture, emotions, beliefs (or lack thereof), background, and the story that shaped you.
I welcome and affirm clients of all identities, beliefs, and backgrounds.
I will always follow your lead and honor your journey.
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Every part of my story influences how I show up in the therapy room:
— I understand big feelings because I've lived them.
— I understand pressure because I carried it for years.
— I understand perfectionism and people-pleasing because they shaped my early identity.
— I understand loneliness because I've felt it deeply.
— I understand questioning your purpose or identity because I've been there too.
— And I understand how brave it is to ask for help, even when you don't quite have the words for what you're feeling.
In therapy with me, you'll find a space where you don't have to shrink yourself, hide your feelings, or pretend everything is fine. You get to show up openly and honestly — even if you're unsure, overwhelmed, or still figuring things out. My role isn't to lecture or tell you who to be. It's to walk beside you as you explore your emotions, understand yourself more fully, and learn to trust your own inner voice.
You don't have to navigate everything alone.
I'm here to support you — gently, consistently, and without judgment — as you grow into the version of yourself you're becoming.
With a little stardust to carry with you,
Missy
*Now offering Therapy Intensives* Click HERE to find out more
Feeling stuck?
Let's take the next step together.
You don't have to sort everything out on your own.
If you're feeling overwhelmed, heavy, or unsure of where to begin —
I'm here to help you find your footing again.
Start with a free consultation
A gentle, no-pressure conversation to see whether this feels like a good fit.