LCSW, 12 years of experience
Hi! I am a licensed clinical social worker out of Northwest Georgia. I received my Masters of Social Work from the University of Georgia in 2012. I previously provided therapy and case management services to children in a residential setting prior to working as an outpatient therapist for the past 10 years. I have experience treating self-harming and suicidal behaviors in children and teens. I received my full clinical licensure in 2021. I enjoy helping children, teens and adults work through whatever barriers prevent them from pursuing their goals. I also enjoy helping them build on the skills they need to tackle future challenges.
I feel it is really important for clients to get a very clear understanding of what to expect in therapy during that first session and for us to do introductions. I want to use this opportunity to really understand the presenting issues without clients feeling they need to dive into processing. The first session is our chance to really tailor a plan going forward that is achievable and us to end the session with clients taking ownership of that plan. My hope is that clients will understand next steps and be excited to move forward.
I feel I have the ability to take in information, think on my feet, and take that information to help clients really pin down what they want to work towards. I have been completing assessments and doing treatment planning for the last 7 years and I feel I am really strong in this area. I will help you develop a plan that is achievable for you!
I feel I am best positioned to serve individuals who are dealing with anxiety, depression, and symptoms related to their traumatic experiences who are comfortable with teletherapy. I am also interested in working with woman experiencing a variety of issues in their pregnancies and in the months postpartum as these times can be very lonely, isolating, and confusing for so many women, whether or not a baby was planned.
I primarily use cognitive behavioral therapy methods as I have seen positive outcomes with the teens and adults in being able to identify these negative thinking patterns and ways in which their thinking affects their behavior. I feel journaling is very helpful in helping clients to identify these thoughts and sort through them outside of the realms of the chaos the anxiety manifests in our minds. I also tend to draw from physiology and our brain-body response to our environment. I very much include and consider the biology behind what individuals experience. Theories on attachment interest me and are useful to me in exploring backgrounds as possible roots for the behaviors in which we find ourselves repeating. I am very holistic in my approach therefore it is difficult for me to narrow done a single treatment method. My hope for clients is that they will become much more aware and mindful their own bodies, minds, and interactions with the world going forward and have the toolset to be able to respond in the best way to whatever happens!
I have used Trauma-Focused CBT techniques with multiple children who have been through traumatic experiences. I feel it is an excellent guide for working with children, regardless of their experiences. Teaching any child effective self-regulation and calming techniques is so vitally important in helping them respond to the ever-increasingly stimulating environments in which they are exposed, daily.