I am a licensed clinical health psychologist and a retired professional ballerina.

Dance was my entire life growing up. I never imagined doing anything else. I danced professionally in major ballet companies around the United States. While I loved dance, and still do, professional ballet culture felt incongruent with my values. I was encouraged to be silent, ignore my pain, and maintain a body size that was too small for me to live healthfully — all without any expert support or guidance. I retired at 26 and pursued a career in health psychology. After years of study, I graduated with my doctorate in clinical health psychology, with a specialization in clinical child and pediatric psychology. I have expertise in health behavior change, body image concerns, weight management, eating disorders, anxiety, and depression.

My personal and professional experiences give me multiple perspectives on health, dance culture, and mental wellness. Dance provides students with an incredible skill set. Unfortunately, there are still unhealthy spoken and unspoken practices within the profession. Many dancers, especially female-identifying dancers, become silent, obedient, submissive, and ignore their internal experiences. Dancers need safe and developmentally appropriate education, support, and skill-building focused on (1) listening to their bodies, (2) speaking up for themselves, and (3) building confidence. Many studios are missing a great opportunity to teach these crucial life skills which can be applied to ALL aspects of life—both in and out of the studio.

My goal is to support dancers in evolving the field to be more inclusive and health-driven. I believe this is possible while maintaining the athletic and artistic progress dancers have made over time.