Hello! I'm a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC) in the state of Michigan. I received my master's degree from Central Michigan University, and I've been practicing since 2017. Before I was a counselor, I was a public school teacher, so I have plenty of experience working with children and adolescents, and their parents and schools. Overall, I welcome clients of all ages, and look forward to being your guide in your therapy journey!
First, we will complete an intake assessment together. This helps me to know what challenges you're facing so I can make the best possible plan for our future sessions. When I work with younger children, I meet with parent(s)/guardian(s) only for the intake session. I meet the child at the second session, and work on creating an environment of safety, trust, and fun (yes- therapy can be fun!)
I believe some of my strengths as a therapist are that I'm kind, easy to talk to, patient, non-judgmental, a good listener, empathetic, organized, and solution-focused.
CBT is one of the methods I use most often in my sessions. We'll look at the relationship between your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Then we'll explore how your negative thoughts can be defeated. These thoughts might be making you feel anxious, depressed, or sabotaging your self-esteem. But we can challenge and reframe them into more rational, or positive, thoughts. CBT has been proven to be effective for millions of people and it can reduce your anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem as well.
I will assist you in using techniques so you can be more compassionate to yourself. I explain the role of your "inner critic," the part of your brain that makes you feel "less than" others. Then we'll work on challenging your inner critic through CBT and Mindful Self-Compassion strategies.
Being mindful means living in the moment and being fully aware of the present, rather than dwelling on the past or worrying about the future. Mindfulness has been shown to be effective in helping people to better manage anxiety. Some of the activities I teach my clients are deep breathing and guided meditations. These activities, when practiced often, can lead you to increased relaxation and better control over your emotions.