LCSW, 23 years of experience
I have over 23 years of professional social work experience in a variety of settings, including outpatient mental health, crisis, home based services and residential treatment facilities. Some of my areas of expertise include helping clients with faith-based issues, relationship conflict, family tension, motivation, self esteem, life transitions & depression. I work with my clients to create an open and safe environment where thoughts and feelings can be shared without fear of judgment. Taking the first step to sign up for therapy can take courage, and I am proud of you for getting started!
On our first session, while it is important that we discuss the concerns that brought you to therapy, I first want to get to know who you are as a person. Whether you have a diagnosis or not, you are a wonderful person who has gifts, talents, and abilities that make you uniquely you and I think it is vital that we start there.
While I aim to take a warm approach, I also feel it is important to be direct and honest with my clients in order to move them along the healing journey. I do have great active listening skills, but I am blessed to be able to hear what you aren't saying in order to deal with the hidden issues, as I do not believe in cookie cutter therapy. I believe in customizing your session based on what you actually need so that you don't have to say what you think I want you to say.
Clients who work with me often are able to release negative judgments about themselves and others, build healthy relationships, reduce anxiety, depression and self harm. Other clients learn how to integrate their faith to build the life they find worth living.
I truly believe that both Therapy and Prayer are effective methods of healing. This means that often the evidence based tools that I utilize have a direct scripture correlation, which helps with the application of the technique.
I am a Certified Dialectical Behavior Therapist and was trained by Marsha Linehan's team through behavioral tech in 2011
As a Certified trauma therapist, it is my honor to walk along side you in this healing journey, providing you psychoeducation surrounding trauma while accessing my knowledge as a Certified Neuroscience Coach and Leader to teach you how to use your brain and skills to eliminate intense traumatic responses over time.