Hello and Welcome! I am a Licensed Professional Counselor in the state of Virginia. I have been working in the mental health and counseling profession for 28 years. I also have a Ph.D. in psychology and philosophy with published research on family caregiver stress. I strive to build a collaborative trusting relationship with all of my clients, while also providing them with a warm, safe space to openly express their feelings about past and present issues. I feel it is important that every client feel understood, supported, validated, and comfortable in their sessions. After all, this is your healing journey which I am hopeful to support and guide you along the way.
In our first session together, we'll start with brief introductions, then we will discuss the specific challenges you're facing. This will help me create a tailored treatment plan for us to work through in our follow-up sessions. I like to make this first session open, warm, comfortable, laid back, and personable to build trust in the relationship. I believe providing a supportive and healing environment is important to effectively manage any stress, trauma, depression, and anxiety.
Having worked with adolescents and adults of all ages for the past 20 years, I've built a "therapeutic toolbox" which will help us to identify the root cause of your struggles and to also create your unique tailored plan that will hopefully lead you to measurable healing progress.
CBT is a treatment method I have used for over 10 years in my therapy sessions to help patients cope with various mental health issues such as PTSD, depression, anxiety, traumas, grief, and stress. It helps the patient with thinking and behavior patterns, developing new problem solving skills, and improving self confidence.
Trauma Informed Care is a counseling method I have used in therapy sessions for over 10 years with patients suffering from PTSD; military traumas; and sexual, physical or emotional traumas. This treatment approach basically acknowledges the impact of trauma and supports recovery.
Mindfulness- Based therapy is often used in my therapy sessions to help with managing anxiety and depression. This therapy involves sharing openness and nonjudgement, present moment awareness, and meditation.