Born and raised in Bethlehem CT, Ellen has been working with children and families since she was an undergraduate at Central Connecticut State University, where she ran cross country and track, specializing in the 400-meter hurdles. Throughout her career, Ellen has worked in schools to build students’ social-emotional skills and provide wrap-around services for families, assisted clients in crisis, and supported children and families experiencing academic and social-emotional issues within their school communities. This work propelled Ellen to earn her Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy, and become a Licensed and School Certified Marriage and Family Therapist. Ellen has a wealth of experience working in private, public, and clinical schools, as well as private practice, therapeutic settings, and youth and family services, where she has supported adolescents and young adults with a range of diagnoses including, but not limited to anxiety, depression, attention deficit disorders, disordered eating, gender variance, relationships, and neurodiversity.

With more than 25 years of experience, Ellen approaches therapy from a relational, systemic, trauma-sensitive, solution-focused, and strengths-based perspective. She believes Franklin Academy offers experiential learning that cultivates growth within the mind, body, and spirit.  A practitioner in Radiant Child yoga (levels 1-3), Ellen has taken courses in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), and Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), and encourages the use of mindfulness and meditation techniques throughout the school day.

Ellen values a strong connection in both her work and personal life. She lives in Chester, CT, with her husband, five children (4 of whom are teenagers), one cat, and their two dogs. In her free time, Ellen loves to sing and dance, even though she feels she is “equally bad at both,” and enjoys walking, hiking, boating on the Connecticut River, kayaking, watching movies/shows, meditating, and practicing yoga. One of our favorite Ellen mantras is: Remember to Be Kind to Yourself!!