Hello! I am a Licensed Professional Mental Health Counselor based out of Texas. I started as a soldier in the military, retiring after 23 years and taught for 5 years. I am a mother of 3 adult men I cherish! I graduated from Lamar University and have been practicing therapy for 5 years. I currently work with veterans, helping them work through their current struggles and help them to reach their goals. We work together to get them to a point where they will be better informed and have resources in hand that will help them continue without therapy.
In our first session, we will start with formalities of introductions and confidentiality information. I will explain my process, answer any questions you might have, and proceed to ask questions. We will discover your concerns, short- and long-term goals, and I will then ask several questions in regard to you as a whole. Some people may be surprised underlying contributing factors to what they are experiencing. We will work together to discover what fits you best as a treatment plan, this part sometimes leading into our next session, as well as identify any other recommendations.
I have excellent written and verbal communication skills. I listen and inform the client what we will be doing and the intent behind the exercise. I ensure you have no question why the work you are doing is relevant to your goal. My multicultural competency and ability to see different perspectives allows me to help my clients to not feel judged. I am passionate about being a therapist and enjoy helping others finding what they are capable of and living their lives.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is an evidence-based therapy proven through extensive research. CBT is used to help others become more aware of inaccurate or negative thinking. I use CBT to help identify troubling situations or conditions in your life. We will work together to help you become aware of your thoughts, emotions, and beliefs about these problems. I will use CBT proven resources to help you learn and continue on your own, once you have reached your goal in therapy.
Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) is considered the third wave of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. DBT is a longer version of CBT, with a strong educational experience to help in providing skills for managing intense emotions and negotiating relationships. I will use DBT in four key areas, that of mindfulness, gain the ability to tolerate negative emotion, power to manage and change intense emotions, and interpersonal effectiveness or learning to communicate better with others.