Hi! My name is Vanessa. I have an awesome labradoodle named Phinny. I enjoy spending time outside in the fresh air, reading and painting. I am looking forward to getting to know you! Living with depression, anxiety or knowing something isn’t right but not knowing what to call it can be overwhelming and feel defeating. As a therapist and a human being I have seen the immense strength it takes to make the first step to ask for help and support. Your recovery and healing journey begins with you, who you are as a person and your experiences. I believe that you have immeasurable tools and strengths inside waiting to be discovered. I have been a therapist for the last 10 years providing therapy to adults living with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder, PTSD, self-esteem issues and psychotic disorders. I also have extensive experience with supporting the family members of those living with severe and persistent mental illness; understanding their loved one's experience, learning how to connect and support with them, as well as working through the pain and grief you are experiencing. My approach to the therapeutic relationship is person-centered, respectful, tailored to you and strengths-based. Open communication and collaboration are vital pieces of the therapy process. The evidenced based approaches that I utilize elements of are traditional talk therapy, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness, Dialectal Behavioral Therapy, trauma-focused and EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). I come from a background of running multiple integrated clinical programs, and I understand the needs of people from a whole person approach. Your mental health struggles do not define you, however they are a part of your journey and I look forward to the opportunity to walk through this recovery process with you.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
The first few sessions are all about creating a sense of safety, gathering a comprehensive history and understanding of how your mental health is affecting you today and developing a path moving forward based off of your goals and needs.
What treatment methods and tools do you utilize?
I am a person-centered therapist which means I have many tools, theories, approaches and techniques in my toolbox. Which direction we go and what we utilize depends on your needs, readiness and comfort level. I am trained in EMDR and working towards my certification. I like to educate all my individuals on EMDR and how it can be helpful with both big T and little t traumas but also negative core beliefs that contribute to current symptoms. We then decide together what is the best path for them moving forward.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
It has been reported to me by current and past clients I serve, that I am compassionate, non-judgmental, willing to meet them where they are at, provide a safe environment with unconditional positive regard and at the core of things connect with the person in front of me as a human being that is more than the symptoms they are experiencing or the diagnosis they have been given. I also like to laugh with clients and tap into those every day small successes that we experience along the way.