Curiosity, compassion, and connection–driving forces in Missy’s personal and professional life–anchor her therapeutic work. As a clinician and business owner, Missy is consistently pursuing new perspectives to increase effective efforts and broadening her scope of understanding to meet the needs of her clients and community.   

After a career in retail management and nonprofits, Missy graduated from Catholic University of America with her Master of Social Work with intention of working in advocacy and policy reform. During an internship working with marginalized and low-income children and families, her path shifted. It is also where Missy learned about the work of Ayuda and has followed their deeply important and impactful work of serving her neighbors in D.C., MD and VA since.  

Now, Missy brings attunement to the systemic challenges facing individuals into the therapeutic space to create a sense of validation, empowerment, and dignity to her clients. Most of her career has served the adoption of constellation and complex trauma; which interweaves complexities of identity, social and cultural erasure, ambiguous grief and loss, and the very near and present fears of navigating safety in DC. Through trauma informed talk therapy, meditation, and yoga informed by her 200-hour Yoga Teacher certification and body-based modalities such as Eye-Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR), Missy partners with her clients to foster a sense of safety, confidence, and self-compassion. She has also worked as a victim advocate for survivors of sexual assault and Domestic Violence within the DOJ and as family coach with DC127.    

Outside of the office, Missy keeps herself busy volunteering within her church and Junior League of Washington, exploring her neighborhood with her husband and their pup, seeking to find the best fun little treat DC has to offer, or dreaming up her next travel adventure.