“Love, whether we call it friendship or family or romance, is the work of mirroring and magnifying each other’s light.”

- James Baldwin

The Story

The name What We Hold comes from Maira Kalman’s Women Holding Things, a book of poetry, illustrations and commentary exploring the literal and metaphorical things we hold, from the everyday like groceries and teacups to intangible ones like dreams, sorrow, love, and responsibility.

It was gifted to me by a friend, a fitting reminder that connection itself is something we hold.

“There is never an end to holding, and certainly there is often the feeling of never doing enough, and then there is the next day and the next day, and one holds on.”
— Maira Kalman
A woman wearing a black blazer and jeans holding a book titled "Women Holding Things" with a colorful illustrated cover of a woman's face on it.

The Who and the How

My loved ones joke that I can chat up a brick wall. That curiosity and care about people's stories is what led me to social work, and eventually to becoming a therapist.

My approach brings together Relational Life Therapy (RLT), Internal Family Systems (IFS), and somatic work. RLT is direct and practical, helping people move from reactivity and blame toward honesty, respect, and shared responsibility. IFS brings curiosity and compassion to the different parts of ourselves, what they protect, what they long for, so we can heal and lead from our true self. Somatic work adds the body into that awareness.

I often use art, film, and music to open new ways of connecting. I'm a Certified Integrated Sex Therapist supporting individuals and couples around intimacy and sexual well-being. I stay active in ongoing training, but I learn just as much from clients, from art, and from everyday moments (brick walls included).

The Space

Therapy can ask a lot of us, so I try to make being in the space easy.

The lighting’s soft, the seating’s comfortable and there’s usually tea on.

You can borrow a book, take home an art kit, or hold one of the small objects I keep around if you’re restless. If we meet virtually, I do my best to bridge the distance with shared resources, and other ways to stay connected.

Black wooden bowl filled with oranges on a light wood table near a window. Behind the bowl, there's a pink ribbed ceramic pot with a green and white variegated plant.
A wooden table with a white vase holding colored pens, a glue stick, various papers including stickers with tropical and space themes, and a notebook or magazine underneath.
A wooden bookshelf with four compartments; the top left is filled with books, the top right and bottom left with woven baskets, and the bottom right with art. Three potted plants are on top of the shelf.
A woman with short brown hair and glasses sitting at a wooden table, arranging cut-out magazine photos and notes amid colorful pens in a white cup, with various papers, scrapbook materials, and a glue stick on the table, in a room with a gray couch a
Living room with a tan leather lounge chair, a wooden shelf with baskets and plants, a floor lamp, a multi-colored tray with a ceramic pot and small items on a wooden table, and a large black and white botanical wall art.
Living room with gray couch, wooden coffee table, patterned rug, armchair, and decor including pillows, vases, and artwork, with natural light coming through a window.
A cardboard cube with images of colorful embroidery thread, books, coins, a walnut, jewelry, and other items on its sides, resting on a wooden surface inside a bookshelf.
Living room with blue sofa, wooden side table, floor lamp, desk with a lamp, window with curtains, and hardwood flooring.
An open book with a colorful painting of a vase with pink, red, orange, and yellow flowers on the left page, and a poem on the right page. The caption says, 'And a vase can hold flowers.'
A decorative indoor setup with a small potted plant on a colorful felt mat, placed on an orange tray with a white rectangular dish containing assorted smooth, polished stones.
Living room with blue sofa, teal and light blue pillows, brown leather chair, wooden coffee table, patterned rug, bookshelf, side table with glass, and window with curtains.
A wooden table with a decorative white shell-shaped dish holding a business card that reads 'What We Hold, Therapy for Relationships, offering in-person & virtual.' Next to the dish is a round white ceramic planter with succulents. A mirror on the le

Things we hold, big and small, everyday and profound.

We hold elevators for strangers. We hold sway. We hold hands. We hold our breath. We hold space. We hold up. We hold it together. We hold ourselves to high standards. We hold firm. We hold grudges. We hold each other in high regard. We hold tears back. We hold seats for friends. We get a hold of ourselves. We hold court. We hold someone accountable. We hold our horses. We hold our tongues. We hold out hope.

We hold on.

Let’s talk more about what you hold.

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