About Andrea

I began my journey to clinical social work as a wilderness field instructor in the mountains outside of Asheville NC. It was there I learned the inherent power of relationships formed in an intentional therapeutic setting, and that creativity is key to harnessing motivations for change.

That experience led me to a Masters in Social Work program at UNC Chapel Hill, where I chose to pursue an additional certificate in Substance Abuse Studies. Following my graduation in 2008 I was lucky to land a job with the Duke Family Care Program, a substance use treatment program for women. I spent my early years there, learning how to be a clinician, understanding what it means to really integrate substance use and mental health approaches. I also began to share my passion to broader audiences developing trainings for the NC Area Health Education Centers (AHEC) system.

After five years with this special population, I broadened my experience with a transition to the Duke Psychiatric Outpatient Clinic where I spent seven years providing assessments, referrals to treatment, and direct short-term psychotherapy. I left Duke University Hospital in January 2021 for my private practice. Here, I continue to have a strong interest in addressing the role of substance use in the lives, or backgrounds, of my clients. I’ve also continued to develop training and consultation services, which allow me to use other skills to increase my impact, supporting other clinicians and their client populations.

Primary Therapeutic Approaches

Primary Consulting Approaches