Meet Sylvia
I work with people navigating chronic illness, medical trauma, and the perinatal period — experiences that are deeply physical, deeply emotional, and often invisible to everyone around them.
My background goes beyond the therapy room. I've worked as a medical social worker in outpatient GI, pain clinic, and OB settings — places where I saw firsthand how overwhelming and isolating it can be to navigate the medical system without the right support from someone who gets it.
I also bring personal lived experience with chronic illness to this work which means you won't have to spend your limited energy helping me understand what you're going through. That combination of personal and professional experience is a big part of why I do this work, and why it matters so much to me.
When I'm not in the therapy room, you'll find me outdoors, spending time with my family, experimenting with gluten-free baking, and hanging out with my two cats and rabbit: Flynn, Figment, and Bruiser.
My approach
You've probably spent a lot of time being strong. This is a place to set that down for a while.
Therapy works best as a collaboration, and trust comes first. You don't need the right words — you can show up messy, uncertain, or not even sure what you're feeling, and we'll figure it out together. You know your experience better than any chart or diagnosis ever could.
My job is to help you feel believed, make sense of what you're carrying, and figure out how to move forward. Real life is always part of the conversation (e.g. family dynamics, the medical system, cultural pressures) because those bigger systems shape who we are and how we move through the world.
And yes, we can laugh. Healing doesn't have to be heavy all the time.
Credentials & Training
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This is the state license that allows me to practice therapy independently. It means I've completed a master's degree, thousands of hours of supervised clinical training, and passed a state licensing exam.
IN License #34011654A
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An advanced, specialized certification (through Postpartum Support International) focused specifically on pregnancy, birth, and postpartum mental health — including postpartum depression, anxiety, birth trauma, and perinatal PTSD. Not all therapists have this training; it means I've gone beyond general therapy education to focus specifically on this period of life.
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University of Southern Indiana. The graduate degree required to become a licensed clinical social worker.
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University of Southern Indiana. My undergraduate degree, with a focus on the healthcare system — part of why I bring a strong understanding of medical settings into this work.
Training & Frameworks
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ACT helps you build a different relationship with difficult thoughts and emotions. Rather than trying to eliminate discomfort, we focus on developing psychological flexibility so you can respond to life's challenges in ways that align with your values and the person you want to be.
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Our experiences are held not only in our minds but also in our bodies. Somatic therapy incorporates body awareness, nervous system regulation, and mindfulness to help process stress, trauma, and emotions while fostering a greater sense of safety and connection.
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IPT focuses on the connection between your relationships and emotional well-being. Together, we'll explore patterns in communication, life transitions, grief, and conflict to strengthen relationships and improve overall mental health.
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DBT teaches practical skills for managing overwhelming emotions, navigating relationships, tolerating distress, and staying present. These evidence-based tools can help you create more balance, resilience, and confidence in everyday life.
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As a provider with advanced training through Postpartum Support International, I offer informed, compassionate care for individuals navigating pregnancy, postpartum, fertility challenges, pregnancy loss, and the emotional transitions of parenthood. My goal is to provide a supportive space where you feel understood and equipped with tools to care for your mental health during this season of life.
FEMINIST THEORY
Why do you feel like you have to prove you're struggling enough to deserve support? A feminist lens looks at the systems around you — medical dismissal, caregiving expectations, pressure to perform wellness — so you stop carrying blame that was never yours to hold.
TRAUMA-INFORMED
Trauma isn't just what happened to you — it's how your nervous system learned to protect itself. My work centers safety, pacing, and choice, so you're never pushed to relive more than you're ready for or rushed toward healing on someone else's timeline — your healing happens on yours.
DISABILITY JUSTICE
Chronic illness and chronic pain don't need to be fixed to be worthy of care. Disability justice centers access, rest, and interdependence — treating your limits not as failures, but as information about what support actually looks like, not someone else's.
You don’t have to keep carrying this alone
If you're tired of explaining your body, your history, or your pain to one more person — I'd love to talk. Let's see if this is the right fit for you.