LCPC, 16 years of experience
I am a 3rd generation social services worker. I was born to help others, it is all I know. It is my passion. With nearly 20 years in the field, I have a wide array of experiences that help make me a well rounded practitioner. I I have worked with Department of Corrections, DCFS. I have experiences in both high acuity inpatient and intensive out patient therapy. Poly dynamics and LGBQT+ friendly.
In our first session, we do a brief introduction. Then I give them the chance to ask any questions they might have. Then we do a mental health assessment to identify areas we want to work on. I always let people know, if they feel I am not a good fit to please let me know. The most important thing is they find someone they feel comfortable working with.
I tend to be very direct with clients. I have found this approach helps cut through all the "noise" that can hamper the therapeutic process. There is usually lots of laughter and I've been told my sessions feel more like a conversation than a therapy session.
I love helping people discover their own inner strength. Often times people have all the tools they already need to accomplish their goals. Sometimes they just have trouble accessing those tools. That's where I come in. I also strive to make mental health services more accessible to men and people of color. Two vastly under represented populations when it comes to mental health.
I have almost 20 years in the field, this lets me pull from numerous treatment methods. Whatever is best for the situation.
I have found that often times people get discouraged thinking they have to make huge changes in their lives. With CBT, we find that small "tweaks" here and there, to how we think about situations can have a tremendous impact.