I obtained my master’s degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling from Adler University. I completed my masters program while working as an advocate for crime victims at a nonprofit organization I founded in 2008, Mothers On a Mission to Stop Violence (MOMSV). During my time at MOMSV, I authored three laws that passed unanimously in the State of Illinois strengthening and protecting crime victims' rights. After graduation, I became employed as a crisis and suicide prevention worker at DuPage County Health Department. I am currently employed as a full-time IRIS Counselor with Charlotte County Behavioral Center. My treatment approach is trauma-informed, collaborative and strength-based. Using neuroeducation, I teach clients the neurophysiological response to trauma and stress to help clients gain insight and awareness of their thoughts, feelings and behaviors. I encourage clients to practice self-compassion, nonjudgement, and affirmations to empower themselves and build on their strengths of resilience and optimism.
I care about my clients and respect their courage to commit to treatment by making their mental health a priority. It's not easy to give one's self permission to heal and develop patience to understand that processing is a process. As a licensed therapist and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional (CCTP) I am of the mindset that clients deserve the right to heal and not to suffer. By engaging and participating in treatment, clients will learn how to manage their symptoms and increase functioning to restore hope and recover.
I teach clients self/emotion regulation and relaxation techniques, grounding skills, cognitive restructuring, mindfulness and breathing exercises to manage symptoms of anxiety, depression, trauma, addiction and suicidal ideations. My goal is for clients to give themselves permission to heal and achieve outcomes they desire by learning how to meet themselves where they are at and know that their best is good enough.
As a licensed therapist, I leverage the power of DBT which consists of Mindfulness, Distress tolerance, emotion regulation and interpersonal skills in a strategic way to help clients combat loneliness, depression, suicidal ideations, negative self talk, interpersonal relationship problems, emotional dysregulation, and other challenges to help clients build lives they can manage and restore hope.
As a licensed therapist, I work with clients in a collaborative fashion, to develop an understanding of the problem and to develop a treatment strategy by applying the core principles of CBT. Clients will significantly improve their functioning and quality of life by developing CBT skills to change their own thinking, problematic emotions, and behavior. CBT is effective for a range of problems including depression, anxiety disorders, substance use, eating disorders, and severe mental illness.