As a Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Certified Clinical Trauma Professional, I'm dedicated to serving women who often feel overwhelmed by life's demands. Currently, I'm pursuing a doctoral degree in clinical social work, which deepens my expertise and commitment to helping my clients. My work primarily focuses on women who carry the weight of the world on their shoulders—those who need guidance to navigate through unresolved trauma, require support in overcoming personal challenges, or simply seek a compassionate ear. I aim to provide a collaborative therapeutic environment where each client's unique journey is respected and valued. My approach helps empower women to recognize their strengths, heal from their past, and embrace a future filled with hope and resilience. The impact of this work is reflected in the profound changes I witness in my clients, as they move from feeling burdened and stuck to experiencing freedom and self-efficacy.
In the first session with me, clients can expect a warm, welcoming, and safe environment where they can start to share their stories at their own pace. This initial meeting is primarily about building trust and understanding. I focus on getting to know the client—their reasons for seeking therapy, their personal background, and what they hope to achieve through our sessions. Clients will be encouraged to discuss their current challenges and any specific incidents or feelings that prompted them to seek help. I will explain how our sessions will be structured and what they can expect from the therapeutic process. This includes discussing confidentiality, session frequency, and the collaborative nature of our work together. I also emphasize the importance of setting goals for therapy. We might begin to outline these goals, although they can be refined over time as we progress. The main aim is to ensure that clients leave the first session feeling heard, supported, and hopeful about the journey ahead. They should also have a clear understanding of how therapy can help them and a sense of comfort with me as their therapist.
My greatest strengths as a therapist include my deep empathy, my skill in creating a safe and supportive environment, and my focus on working together with my clients. I connect genuinely with clients, making it easier for them to share their feelings and experiences openly. This trust is essential for effective therapy. I also bring a wealth of knowledge from my social work practice and academic studies, allowing me to adapt my approach to meet each client's specific needs, whether they're dealing with trauma, stress, or everyday pressures. Lastly, I emphasize collaboration, encouraging clients to set their own goals and participate actively in their healing process. This helps them build their own strength and confidence, leading to lasting changes in their lives.
I use CBT techniques to help individuals identify and challenge negative or unhelpful thoughts and beliefs that contribute to feelings of anxiety, depression, or other mental health concerns. By changing these thought patterns, individuals can improve their mood and behavior, leading to a more positive and fulfilling life. CBT is a evidence-based treatment method that can be used for a variety of mental health conditions, including anxiety disorders, depression, OCD, and PTSD.
Psychoeducation is a type of therapy that focuses on educating individuals and their families about a particular mental health condition. It helps individuals better understand their symptoms, how to manage them, and how to prevent relapse. In my practice, I provide information on psychoeducation techniques and resources for individuals and their families. I also help identify trustworthy sources of information and provide guidance on how to apply psychoeducation principles in everyday life.
In practice, I use solution-focused therapy to help clients identify what they want to achieve through therapy rather than focusing extensively on the problems that brought them to therapy in the first place. This method emphasizes the future and relies on exploring current resources and future hopes. It helps clients see their potential and the possibilities that lie ahead. Overall, solution-focused therapy allows me to help clients build on their strengths and successes in a very structured yet flexible way, promoting quicker resolutions and fostering a sense of competence and accomplishment in clients.
In my work as a therapist, I often use Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) to help clients who have experienced trauma. This method is very structured and helps people understand how trauma affects them and learn ways to handle it better. In therapy, I first build trust with my clients and ensure they feel safe. Once they're ready, we gradually talk about the traumatic experience in a controlled way, which helps lessen the trauma's emotional impact over time. We also work on changing unhelpful thought patterns caused by the trauma. I teach skills for managing emotions and stress, which are very important for clients reacting to traumatic memories. Overall, TF-CBT has proven very effective in reducing trauma symptoms and helping clients feel more in control of their lives. It's a crucial part of how I help people heal from their traumatic experiences.