Attachment, connection, and nurturing are at the heart of early family life. The transition into parenthood is one of the most profound shifts many people will experience—emotionally, relationally, and practically. Therapy during this stage offers a supportive space to slow down, reflect, and develop the confidence and skills needed to care for your child, your partnership, and yourself.

There is no question about it—parenting is hard work. Parents need information, support, and practical tools. In today’s culture, many people have very little day-to-day experience with children before becoming parents themselves. Then, almost overnight, they are thrust into the role of primary caregiver and expert on their child’s life—often while exhausted, overwhelmed, and navigating enormous emotional change.

Even with a PhD and years of teaching child development as a professor, I remember sitting in the backseat of my Camry at Union Station in Chicago with my fussing newborn daughter beside me, sobbing as we said goodbye to my own mother who had visited for her birth. I was exhausted. I felt the weight of responsibility in a way I never had before. In that moment, I wondered if I could truly do this.

That experience deepened my commitment to helping parents feel more supported and prepared. I began building upon my foundation in child development and family therapy by seeking out specialized training in programs designed to help families thrive during the transition into parenthood.

Today, my work with parents integrates research-informed approaches including The Happiest Baby Program for calming newborns, Bringing Baby Home to support couples as they welcome a new baby, Positive Discipline, and SPACE Program, an evidence-based approach for helping children manage anxiety.

Across these approaches, I draw on my grounding in attachment theory and emotional regulation, while always honoring a simple truth: parenting is one of the most challenging jobs there is, and none of us are meant to do it alone.

Together we might explore your own experiences of being parented, clarify the values that will guide your family life, strengthen your ability to respond to your child’s emotional world, and develop practical strategies that help your household function with greater calm and connection—while also rediscovering moments of play, silliness, and fun along the way.

From newborns to school-age children, I work with parents Chicago and across Illinois through telehealth, to help them build the confidence, insight, and support needed to raise resilient, connected children.