Gossip Girl: Serena van der Woodsen and the Wounded “It Girl“
Step into the Upper East Side with me as we unravel the complex maternal neglect experienced by Serena van der Woodsen. We’ll explore how Lily’s unique brand of ‘approval-as-neglect’ shaped Serena, and what Gossip Girl quietly reveals about privilege, abandonment, and the search for belonging.
Last reviewed: June 2026 by Annie Wright, LMFT
- The Golden Cage: Serena’s Allure and Isolation
- Lily’s Approval: A Disguise for Neglect
- The ‘It Girl’ Wound: Too Beautiful to Be Seen
- Privilege as a Poor Insulator Against Abandonment
- The Echo Chamber of External Validation
- Both/And: The Allure and Agony of the Spotlight
- The Systemic Lens: Family Systems and the Upper East Side
- Reclaiming the Self: Moving Beyond the Wounded ‘It Girl’
- Frequently Asked Questions
Maternal neglect through approval describes a parenting pattern in which a mother is physically present and culturally visible but emotionally absent, offering conditional approval rather than attunement. Serena van der Woodsen’s relationship with Lily on Gossip Girl exemplifies this dynamic: Lily’s love was real but filtered through social performance, leaving Serena without the steady, unconditional mirroring that builds secure attachment. The result is an adult who seeks belonging through beauty, attention, and desirability, the external versions of the internal recognition she never received. In my work with driven women who grew up as the family’s star, the hardest part is usually grieving the love that looked like love but never quite reached them.
In short: Approval-as-neglect describes maternal love that is real but conditional on performance and social currency, leaving a child technically cared for but emotionally unseen and chronically seeking external validation.
I have spent more than 15,000 clinical hours working with women whose attachment injuries are rooted in maternal neglect masked as high engagement. Mary Ainsworth, developmental psychologist, established that secure attachment depends not on a caregiver’s intentions or social standing but on consistent, attuned responsiveness to the child’s actual emotional states (Ainsworth 1978).
The Golden Cage: Serena’s Allure and Isolation
The hum of the Upper East Side, a symphony of luxury cars and hushed conversations, often masked the quiet ache within its gilded cages. For Serena van der Woodsen, the ‘It Girl’ of Gossip Girl, this hum was the soundtrack to a life lived under a microscope, a constant performance for an unseen audience. Her effortless beauty and seemingly boundless charm were her currency, yet beneath the shimmering surface lay a profound emptiness. It’s a narrative many of my clients, like Priya, a driven executive who felt perpetually overlooked despite her accomplishments, deeply resonate with: the feeling of being admired for what you project, but rarely for who you truly are. This isn’t just a TV show; it’s a mirror reflecting a specific kind of relational wound.
From the moment Serena reappears on the scene, fresh from boarding school, you can feel the weight of expectation, the almost gravitational pull of her presence. Everyone wants a piece of her, to be near her, to understand her allure. Yet, this intense spotlight, rather than nurturing her, seems to consume her. It’s a classic example of how external validation can become a gilded cage, trapping you in a persona that feels increasingly inauthentic. We often see this dynamic in families where a child’s role is defined by their appearance or achievements, rather than their inner world. It’s a subtle but powerful form of neglect, leaving a deep imprint.
Lily van der Woodsen, Serena’s mother, embodies a particular brand of maternal neglect that’s often overlooked because it’s cloaked in privilege and apparent approval. She didn’t withhold resources; she withheld genuine, attuned presence. Lily’s love often felt conditional, tied to Serena’s ‘shine,’ her ability to maintain the family’s social standing, or her compliance with Lily’s own desires. This isn’t the overt neglect we often picture, but a more insidious form where a daughter is made too beautiful to be truly seen, her inner landscape ignored in favor of her dazzling exterior. It’s a wound that can be far more complex to heal.
Think about it: how often did Lily truly sit with Serena, listen without judgment, or offer comfort that wasn’t transactional? Instead, Lily often leveraged Serena’s beauty and charm for her own social maneuvering, or to deflect from her own emotional unavailability. This creates a deeply confusing message for a child: ‘I love you, but only when you are this version of yourself.’ This dynamic can lead to a profound sense of self-alienation, where you learn to prioritize external approval over your own authentic feelings and needs. It’s a survival strategy that, in the long run, becomes deeply damaging.
Lily’s Approval: A Disguise for Neglect
The ‘It Girl’ wound, as I often conceptualize it, is born when a daughter is celebrated for her aesthetic or social utility, rather than her inherent worth. Serena was Lily’s most exquisite accessory, a living testament to her own good taste and social standing. This isn’t to say Lily didn’t love Serena, but that her love was often filtered through a lens of narcissism and external presentation. The problem isn’t the beauty itself, but the way it becomes a barrier to genuine connection, forcing Serena into a role rather than allowing her to simply be. This is a common theme in maternal wounds in pop culture, where mothers often project their own unfulfilled desires onto their daughters.
Consider the psychological impact of being constantly told, implicitly or explicitly, that your value lies primarily in your appearance or your ability to attract attention. For Serena, this meant a lifelong struggle with authenticity, a constant feeling of needing to live up to an image that wasn’t entirely her own. It’s a form of betrayal trauma, where the very person who should protect your inner world instead exploits it for their own purposes. This leaves a deep scar, making it difficult to trust your own instincts or to believe that you are loved simply for being you.
This dynamic often manifests as a relentless pursuit of external validation, a desperate attempt to fill the void left by inadequate emotional attunement. Serena’s revolving door of relationships, her impulsive decisions, and her frequent attempts to escape her life can all be seen as symptoms of this underlying wound. She was constantly searching for someone or something to affirm her worth, because that affirmation wasn’t consistently provided by her primary caregiver. It’s a pattern I’ve seen in many clients, including Dani, who found herself repeatedly drawn to partners who mirrored her mother’s emotional unavailability.
When a mother consistently prioritizes her own needs or external appearances over her child’s emotional reality, the child learns to suppress their authentic self. Serena learned to be charming, agreeable, and dazzling, but she rarely learned how to articulate her true feelings or needs without fear of rejection or disappointment. This creates a profound sense of loneliness, even when surrounded by people. It’s a subtle form of abandonment, a void that no amount of privilege or popularity can truly fill. This is why understanding family trauma in prestige TV is so crucial.
Maternal neglect, as described by Bonnie Badenoch, PhD, LMFT, in her work on interpersonal neurobiology, refers to a failure of the primary caregiver to adequately respond to a child’s physical, emotional, or developmental needs. This can manifest as a lack of emotional attunement, inconsistent availability, or a focus on external appearances over genuine connection, leading to attachment insecurity and developmental trauma. It’s not always overt abuse but often a subtle, chronic relational deprivation.
In plain terms: When a mother doesn’t consistently meet her child’s emotional or physical needs, even if she seems present. It’s often about a lack of deep emotional connection, leaving the child feeling unseen or unimportant, which can create lasting emotional challenges.
The ‘It Girl’ Wound: Too Beautiful to Be Seen
Gossip Girl, for all its glamour, offers a quiet realism about how privilege does not insulate from abandonment. The Upper East Side is a world of immense material wealth, but it’s also a landscape rife with emotional poverty. Serena, despite her designer clothes and penthouse apartment, was often profoundly alone, navigating complex emotional landscapes without consistent parental guidance or support. This show subtly reminds us that money can buy many things, but it cannot buy secure attachment or genuine emotional connection. That’s a truth that transcends social class.
The series frequently depicts Lily’s inability to prioritize Serena’s emotional well-being over her own social standing, romantic entanglements, or even her desire for a certain public image. Remember the countless times Lily chose a new husband or a social event over truly being there for Serena during a crisis? These aren’t just plot points; they are micro-aggressions of neglect, chipping away at Serena’s sense of security and self-worth. It’s a pattern that reinforces the idea that Serena’s needs are secondary, a painful lesson for any child.
This consistent pattern of emotional unavailability from Lily created an environment where Serena learned to self-soothe in unhealthy ways, often turning to impulsive behaviors, substance use, or frantic attempts to escape her reality. These coping mechanisms, while seemingly self-destructive, were often her desperate attempts to manage overwhelming feelings of anxiety, loneliness, and unworthiness. It’s a tragic cycle, where the very behaviors meant to alleviate pain often perpetuate it, becoming a form of self-abandonment mirroring the original wound.
The show’s brilliance lies in its portrayal of this paradox: the more ‘perfect’ Serena’s life appeared from the outside, the more chaotic and unmoored she often felt on the inside. This is a common experience for individuals who grow up in environments where appearances are paramount. The pressure to maintain a facade of perfection can be suffocating, leading to an internal split where the authentic self is hidden away, deemed unacceptable or unlovable. It’s a powerful argument for seeking therapy to reconcile these internal conflicts.
Attachment insecurity, a concept foundational to the work of Sue Johnson, EdD, psychologist, and John Bowlby, refers to a pattern of relating that develops when early caregiving experiences are inconsistent or unresponsive. This can lead to anxious attachment (fear of abandonment, preoccupation with relationships) or avoidant attachment (discomfort with intimacy, self-reliance to an extreme), impacting an individual’s ability to form secure, healthy adult relationships and regulate emotions.
In plain terms: Feeling unsure or anxious about relationships because of how you learned to connect with caregivers as a child. You might either cling to people fearing they’ll leave, or push them away because you’re scared of getting too close.
Privilege as a Poor Insulator Against Abandonment
The echo chamber of external validation is a dangerous place for anyone, but particularly for someone with Serena’s foundational wounds. Every ‘OMG’ from Gossip Girl, every admiring glance, every flashbulb served to reinforce the idea that her worth was tied to her public persona. This constant feedback loop made it incredibly difficult for her to develop an internal compass, a sense of self that was independent of others’ opinions. She was always looking outside herself for answers, for approval, for a sense of belonging.
This over-reliance on external validation can lead to a fragile sense of self. When your sense of worth is built on the shifting sands of public opinion, it’s easily shattered. Serena’s frequent crises of identity, her struggles to commit to a path, and her desperate need for love were all manifestations of this underlying fragility. She was constantly trying to piece together a coherent self from the reflections she saw in others’ eyes, rather than building it from within. It’s a exhausting way to live, and one that often leads to burnout.
Think about the pervasive influence of social media today, amplifying this very dynamic. For young women like Serena, the curated perfection of online life can exacerbate existing wounds, creating an even stronger pull towards external validation. It’s a relentless cycle of seeking approval, comparing oneself to others, and feeling perpetually inadequate. This is why cultivating a strong internal sense of self-worth is more critical than ever, a journey I guide my clients through in my course.
Without a solid internal foundation, every perceived slight, every critical comment, every moment of not being ‘the best’ can feel devastating. Serena’s emotional resilience was often low because her self-esteem wasn’t rooted in her own inherent value, but in the fleeting approval of others. This makes you incredibly vulnerable to the whims of your environment, constantly adapting, constantly performing, never truly feeling safe or secure in your own skin. It’s a profound challenge that requires deep, intentional healing work.
A trauma bond, a term often associated with the work on betrayal trauma by Jennifer Freyd, PhD, psychologist, describes an unhealthy attachment that develops in relationships characterized by cycles of abuse and intermittent reinforcement. The victim becomes emotionally dependent on the abuser, often misinterpreting intense, volatile interactions as love or connection, making it incredibly difficult to leave the relationship despite its destructive nature.
In plain terms: When you feel a strong, unhealthy connection to someone who hurts you, often because there are intense ups and downs. You might confuse the intensity with love, making it hard to break free, even when you know it’s bad for you.
The Echo Chamber of External Validation
Clarissa Pinkola Estés famously wrote, “Addiction begins when a woman loses her handmade and meaningful life…” This quote resonates deeply with Serena’s journey. Her life, while glamorous, often felt pre-fabricated, dictated by expectations and appearances rather than genuine desires. The various forms of escape she sought. From substances to impulsive relationships. Can be seen as attempts to numb the pain of this lost, meaningful life, to fill the void left by unaddressed maternal neglect. It’s a powerful insight into the roots of self-destructive behaviors.
The lack of genuine attunement from Lily meant Serena never truly developed a strong sense of her own ‘handmade’ life. Her choices often felt reactive, driven by a need to either please others or rebel against them, rather than emerging from a deep, authentic understanding of herself. This makes it incredibly difficult to find genuine purpose or lasting satisfaction, as you’re always chasing an external definition of happiness. It’s a common pattern for those who grew up feeling unseen.
This isn’t about blaming Lily entirely, but understanding the systemic patterns at play. Lily herself was likely a product of similar relational dynamics, trapped in a cycle of prioritizing appearances and external success. However, understanding the origin of the wound doesn’t absolve the impact it has on the child. It simply provides context for the cyclical nature of narcissistic mother-daughter dynamics and the pervasive influence of family trauma across generations.
Serena’s story is a poignant reminder that true fulfillment comes from within, from cultivating a life aligned with your values and desires, not from chasing external markers of success or approval. Her constant search for ‘what’s next’ or ‘who she truly is’ speaks to this deep yearning for an authentic, meaningful existence that was often overshadowed by the demands of her ‘It Girl’ persona. It’s a journey many of my clients embark on when they start to question the narratives they’ve inherited.
External validation, in psychological terms, refers to the reliance on approval, praise, or affirmation from others to feel good about oneself or to confirm one’s worth. While some external validation is healthy, an excessive dependence on it, often stemming from early relational deficits, can lead to a fragile sense of self and a constant need for external affirmation, making an individual vulnerable to manipulation and self-doubt, as discussed by many clinicians including Judith Herman, MD, psychiatrist, in the context of complex trauma recovery.
In plain terms: Needing other people’s approval or compliments to feel good about yourself. If you rely too much on it, you might feel empty or lost without constant praise, and it can make you easily influenced by what others think.
“Addiction begins when a woman loses her handmade and meaningful life…”
Clarissa Pinkola Estés, PhD, Women Who Run With the Wolves
Both/And: The Allure and Agony of the Spotlight
Both/And: The Allure and Agony of the Spotlight. Serena’s ‘It Girl’ status was both her greatest asset and her heaviest burden. It opened doors, granted her access, and provided a sense of belonging within her social circle, however superficial. Yet, it also stripped her of privacy, authenticity, and the space to make mistakes and grow without public scrutiny. This dual nature of her identity created a constant internal conflict, a push and pull between the desire for connection and the fear of exposure.
This ‘both/and’ experience is common for individuals who are highly visible or celebrated for specific traits. The admiration can feel good, even addictive, but the constant performance required to maintain it is exhausting. Serena was perpetually on stage, even in her most private moments, making it nearly impossible to develop a secure sense of self away from the gaze of others. This is a challenge often faced by driven professionals who find themselves constantly ‘on,’ struggling to delineate between their public and private selves.
The allure of the spotlight can be a powerful draw, offering a temporary balm to underlying insecurities. For Serena, the attention provided a fleeting sense of validation, a confirmation that she was indeed special and worthy. However, this external validation was never enough to truly fill the void left by her maternal wound. It was like trying to quench thirst with saltwater. It only intensified the underlying need for genuine connection and self-acceptance. This is why I emphasize the importance of self-compassion in my newsletter.
The agony, then, came from the realization that the spotlight was conditional, that her worth was constantly being judged and re-evaluated by an unforgiving public and, more importantly, by her own mother. This created a cycle of anxiety and self-doubt, where every misstep felt like a catastrophic failure. Serena was trapped in a role she didn’t choose, constantly striving to meet expectations that were never truly her own. It’s a profound lesson in the cost of living for others’ approval.
The Systemic Lens: Family Systems and the Upper East Side
The Systemic Lens: Family Systems and the Upper East Side. To truly understand Serena, we must view her within the context of her family system. Lily, as the matriarch, was a product of her own upbringing, likely experiencing similar pressures and emotional deficits. This intergenerational pattern of prioritizing appearances, social standing, and material wealth over emotional attunement created a dysfunctional system where genuine connection was scarce. Serena was not an isolated case but a symptom of a larger family dynamic.
In such systems, children often unconsciously take on roles to maintain family equilibrium, even if those roles are detrimental to their own well-being. Serena’s ‘It Girl’ persona could be seen as her role in the van der Woodsen family: the dazzling daughter who distracts from deeper family dysfunctions and upholds the family’s image. This is a common pattern in families where emotional needs are unmet, and children learn to adapt in ways that are often self-sacrificing. It’s a concept I explore in depth when I work one-on-one with clients.
The Upper East Side itself functions as a system, with its own unspoken rules, expectations, and punishments for deviance. Gossip Girl, the omniscient narrator, is a metaphor for the pervasive social scrutiny and judgment that governed their lives. This external system amplified the internal family dynamics, creating an environment where authenticity was a liability and performance was a necessity. It’s a powerful reminder that our environments profoundly shape our internal worlds.
Healing from such systemic wounds requires not just individual work, but also an understanding of these broader contexts. It’s about recognizing the narratives you’ve inherited and consciously choosing to write your own. For Serena, this meant a long and arduous journey of self-discovery, often marked by regression and painful realizations. It’s a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, and a journey many driven women undertake when they realize the ‘perfect’ life they’ve built isn’t actually serving them. You can get a sense of your own patterns by taking my trauma response quiz.
Reclaiming the Self: Moving Beyond the Wounded ‘It Girl’
Reclaiming the Self: Moving Beyond the Wounded ‘It Girl’. Serena’s journey, though messy and protracted, ultimately points towards the possibility of reclaiming the self. It’s about moving beyond the external definitions and beginning the arduous work of internal validation. This means learning to trust your own instincts, to honor your own feelings, and to build a sense of self-worth that is independent of others’ opinions or approval. It’s a process of deep internal excavation.
For many women who grew up with similar maternal wounds, this healing journey involves grieving the mother they didn’t have and reparenting themselves. It means learning to provide the emotional attunement and unconditional love they lacked as children. This isn’t about blaming, but about acknowledging the impact of past experiences and consciously choosing to meet your own needs in the present. It’s a powerful act of self-compassion and self-liberation.
Ultimately, Serena’s story reminds us that true liberation comes not from escaping your past, but from integrating it, understanding its impact, and consciously choosing a different path forward. It’s about finding your own ‘handmade and meaningful life,’ one that is authentic to you, rather than a performance for others. This is the profound work of healing, a journey that can lead to deep personal growth and lasting fulfillment. If you’re ready to explore this, feel free to connect with me.
The ‘It Girl’ wound, while specific to Serena’s narrative, is a universal archetype for anyone who has felt unseen, valued for their external presentation rather than their authentic self. Her story is a testament to the enduring human need for genuine connection, for belonging, and for the courageous act of defining oneself on one’s own terms, even when the world expects you to be someone else. It’s a powerful narrative about finding your way home to yourself, a journey I’m honored to support through my coaching.
Clinically, this is where the story becomes useful rather than merely interesting. When I sit with driven women who recognize themselves in Gossip Girl: Serena van der Woodsen and the Wounded “It Girl“ or in the composite stories named here, the work is rarely about deciding whether the character was good or bad. The more useful question is what your body learned to do in the presence of love, danger, obligation, longing, and shame. That question belongs beside deeper resources such as C1 C5 S9 clinical_betrayal, because the cultural text is only the doorway; the real work is learning what your own nervous system has been carrying.
The healing edge is also often quieter than people expect. It may look like noticing the moment you reach for competence instead of comfort, pausing before you explain someone else’s harm away, or letting another trustworthy person witness what you have been privately metabolizing for years. Those moments can seem small, but they are not superficial. They are basement-level repairs to the proverbial house of life: the beliefs, emotional regulation patterns, attachment expectations, and body memories that shape whether adult intimacy feels possible or perilous.
Q: What is the ‘It Girl’ wound as seen in Serena van der Woodsen?
A: The ‘It Girl’ wound, as I describe it, is a specific form of relational trauma where an individual, often a daughter, is celebrated and valued primarily for their external appearance, charm, or social utility rather than their authentic self. In Serena’s case, her mother Lily’s focus on Serena’s beauty and social standing meant that Serena’s inner world, emotional needs, and true identity were often overlooked or dismissed. This creates a deep sense of being ‘too beautiful to be seen,’ leading to a fragile self-concept and an over-reliance on external validation, as her worth was tied to how she was perceived by others rather than her inherent value.
Q: How does Lily’s parenting style contribute to Serena’s struggles?
A: Lily’s parenting style, while seemingly indulgent and approving, was characterized by a subtle yet pervasive maternal neglect. She provided material wealth but often lacked consistent emotional attunement and presence. Lily frequently prioritized her own romantic relationships, social standing, or public image over Serena’s genuine emotional needs, creating a confusing message for Serena: ‘I love you, but only when you conform to my expectations or enhance my image.’ This conditional approval fostered attachment insecurity, making Serena constantly seek external validation and struggle with a stable sense of self, leading to impulsive and self-destructive behaviors as coping mechanisms.
Q: Can privilege protect someone from the effects of maternal neglect?
A: Gossip Girl powerfully illustrates that privilege, while offering material advantages, does not insulate individuals from the profound effects of maternal neglect or emotional abandonment. Serena van der Woodsen, despite her immense wealth and social status, experienced deep emotional wounds due to Lily’s inconsistent and self-centered parenting. The show highlights that emotional poverty can exist even amidst material abundance, leading to similar struggles with identity, attachment, and self-worth as those faced by individuals from less privileged backgrounds. Money cannot buy secure attachment or genuine emotional connection, making the Upper East Side a gilded cage for many of its inhabitants.
Q: What are the long-term impacts of relying on external validation, as seen in Serena?
A: Serena’s constant reliance on external validation, stemming from her maternal wound, led to a deeply fragile sense of self and chronic internal instability. When your self-worth is built on the approval of others, it becomes inherently unstable, fluctuating with every perceived judgment or compliment. This resulted in Serena’s struggles with authenticity, her inability to commit to a clear path, and a pattern of impulsive, self-sabotaging behaviors as she desperately sought to fill an internal void. It created a cycle where she was perpetually performing, never truly feeling safe or secure in her own skin, and constantly searching for external affirmation to define her worth.
Q: How can someone begin to heal from an ‘It Girl’ wound or similar maternal neglect?
A: Healing from an ‘It Girl’ wound or similar maternal neglect involves a multi-faceted approach focused on internal validation and self-reparenting. This includes grieving the loss of the attuned mother you deserved, and consciously cultivating self-compassion and self-acceptance. It means learning to identify and honor your own authentic feelings and needs, rather than constantly seeking external approval. Therapy can be incredibly beneficial for processing the underlying trauma, developing a secure internal attachment, and building a strong, resilient sense of self that is independent of others’ opinions. The goal is to build a ‘handmade and meaningful life’ that truly aligns with your deepest values and desires.
Related Reading
- Gossip Girl. Created by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage. The CW, 2007-2012.
- Estés, Clarissa Pinkola. Women Who Run With the Wolves: Myths and Stories of the Wild Woman Archetype. Ballantine Books, 1992.
- Badenoch, Bonnie. The Heart of Trauma: Healing the Embodied Brain in the Context of Relationships. W. W. Norton & Company, 2017.
- Herman, Judith Lewis. Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence, From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror. Basic Books, 1992.
References
Peer-Reviewed Research (Vancouver)
- Cloitre M, Stolbach BC, Herman JL, van der Kolk B, Pynoos R, Wang J, et al. A developmental approach to complex PTSD: childhood and adult cumulative trauma as predictors of symptom complexity. J Trauma Stress. 2009;22(5):399-408. doi:10.1002/jts.20444. PMID: 19795402.
- Greenman PS, Johnson SM. Emotionally focused therapy: Attachment, connection, and health. Curr Opin Psychol. 2022;43:146-150. doi:10.1016/j.copsyc.2021.06.015. PMID: 34375935.
- Gómez JM, Smith CP, Gobin RL, Tang SS, Freyd JJ. Collusion, torture, and inequality: Understanding the actions of the American Psychological Association as institutional betrayal. J Trauma Dissociation. 2016;17(5):527-544. PMID: 27427782.
- Bowlby J. Attachment and loss: retrospect and prospect. Am J Orthopsychiatry. 1982;52(4):664-678. doi:10.1111/j.1939-0025.1982.tb01456.x. PMID: 7148988.
Books & Cultural Sources (Chicago Author-Date)
- Estés, Clarissa Pinkola. Women Who Run with the Wolves. Vintage, 1982.
- Badenoch, Bonnie. Being a brain-wise therapist. W. W. Norton & Co., 2008.
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Annie Wright, LMFT
LMFT · Relational Trauma Specialist · W.W. Norton Author
Helping driven women finally feel as good as their résumé looks.
Annie Wright is a licensed psychotherapist (LMFT #95719) and trauma-informed executive coach with over 15,000 clinical hours. She works with driven women. Including Silicon Valley leaders, physicians, and entrepreneurs. In repairing the psychological foundations beneath their impressive lives. Annie is the founder and former CEO of Evergreen Counseling, a multimillion-dollar trauma-informed therapy center she built, scaled, and successfully exited. A regular contributor to Psychology Today, her expert commentary has appeared in USA Today, Forbes, Business Insider, Inc., NBC, and The Information. She is currently writing her first book with W.W. Norton.
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