LPC, 12 years of experience
Hello! I'm a Maryland-based Licensed Professional Counselor (LCPC) and Licensed Clinical Professional Art Therapist (LCPAT). I have been practicing for 15 years. I help young adults struggling with anxiety, ADHD, grief/loss, identity loss, and life transitions to learn and apply evidence-based strategies that can improve their emotional wellbeing and functioning. I previously provided mental/behavioral health services in juvenile detention facilities, public schools, colleges, and a level one outpatient substance abuse treatment program.
During the first session, I review the intake documents with each client. We review the client's symptoms and concerns. We discuss an initial diagnosis, evidence-based treatments for the diagnosis, and different approaches to addressing the client's identified goals.
My primary strength is my art therapy training. Art therapists are master’s level clinicians who are trained in applied psychological theory, psychotherapy (i.e. talk therapy or counseling), and art therapy. Being trained and licensed as an art therapist and a counselor makes me skilled at helping clients communicate what they struggle to express verbally. In addition to "talk therapy," I am skilled at using creative methods to help clients become aware of the connection between their thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
I work with clients who are experiencing life transitions. Life transitions can be challenging, painful, uncomfortable, and difficult to adjust to because they trigger anxiety, grief, and uncertainty about how to move forward. Examples include becoming an adult, starting or graduating from school, changing careers, moving, retiring, experiencing grief/loss, and being in therapy. I support clients to re-evaluate, redefine, and transform.
This short-term and goal-oriented approach supports clients to develop insight into the early childhood experiences that impact their current sense of self, perspective on life situations, and actions. Clients learn strategies to address feelings of inferiority, improve their sense of self, and increase their sense of belonging within the community. I support clients to engage in the creative process of art therapy to communicate what they struggle to express verbally, increase self-awareness, and see their self, other people, and situations from a different perspective.
This short-term and goal oriented approach supports clients develop insight into the core beliefs and thought patterns that precede and reinforce their feelings (anxiety, sadness, anger), and impact their actions. Clients practice using Socratic Questions to replace their assumptions (automatic "negative" thoughts) about self, other people, and situations, and replace them with better and believable thoughts. Clients learn various skills and strategies to develop self-confidence, cope with stressors, and manage their mood. I support clients to engage in the creative process of art therapy to communicate what they struggle to express verbally, increase self-awareness of how they think, feel, and act, gain new perspectives, and reduce stress through mindfulness.
This short-term approach supports clients to establish goals, create a plan to achieve them, and initiate changes to their behaviors and lifestyle. Clients identify solutions to resolve their current problems by focusing on the skills, strengths, and resources that helped them successfully resolve problems in the past. I support clients to engage in the creative process of art therapy to communicate what they struggle to express verbally, increase self-awareness, and affirm their strengths and resources.