New to Grow
Finding the right therapist can be an important step toward feeling more understood, grounded, and connected to yourself. I’m Elizabeth, and I believe therapy should be a collaborative and honest space where you feel safe as you unburden yourself from what you have been holding. Whether you are seeking support through a difficult season, hoping to better understand yourself, or working toward meaningful change, therapy can be a collaborative process. I hope that you leave our work together with a stronger sense of yourself and confidence in your ability to move toward the life you want. My clinical experience spans private practice, outpatient, residential, and committed settings, where I primarily work with adults navigating traumatic experiences, life transitions, personality and mood disorders, ADHD, addictions, and sexual disorders. I provide individual therapy and facilitate group therapy, with a particular passion for trauma-informed care, supporting both survivors of abuse and individuals working toward accountability and meaningful change. I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with a Master’s in Clinical & Community Mental Health from Western Illinois University. In addition to being a LMHC in Indiana, I am a LCPC and LASOP in Illinois. I am currently pursuing a Doctor of Clinical Psychology (PsyD) at the University of Indianapolis, continuing my clinical and academic growth.
Starting therapy for the first time can feel unfamiliar, so your first session is an opportunity to slow down, get acquainted with the process and expectations, as well as with one another. We’ll spend some time talking about your life, your history, and what brings you to therapy so I can better understand you and we can begin thinking about what you may want from our work together. You get to decide how much or how little you share. You can lead the conversation, or I can ask questions and help guide us. There is no expectation that you have everything figured out or that you need to tell me everything in the first session. Most importantly, your first session is a chance to see what kind of fit we make. You’ll have an opportunity to get a sense of who I am, how I work, and whether you feel comfortable working with me. Therapy is a collaborative relationship, and you should feel that the person sitting across from you is someone you can trust and work alongside.
Therapy can be a space to find footing while navigating the human experience together. I have found there may be times when silence and space are helpful, and other times when honest, compassionate confrontation can open the door to growth. Together, we can make room for both. You deserve a therapeutic relationship where you feel safe to be genuine, and can expect the same in return.
My ideal client is someone who is curious about themselves and open to exploring what may be contributing to where they are in life. You may feel dissatisfied with how things are going or recognize that something in your life or within yourself no longer feels aligned with where you want to be. You appreciate honesty and are open to having your thoughts and assumptions thoughtfully challenged, while also feeling respected and understood throughout a process that may be uncomfortable but meaningful. You don’t have to come to therapy with all the answers—or even know exactly what you need. Curiosity and a willingness to explore are often enough to begin.
In therapy, we may work on understanding what triggers strong emotions, making sense of what you’re feeling, and finding ways to respond rather than react. We may also focus on communicating what you need, setting boundaries, handling conflict, and maintaining relationships without losing sight of yourself. For people who have experienced trauma, DBT can provide tools for managing intense emotions and getting through difficult moments safely, while creating a greater sense of stability before or alongside deeper trauma work. The goal isn’t to get rid of difficult emotions or tell you how you should feel, but to better understand your experiences and build practical tools that help you respond in ways that support the life and relationships you want.
In therapy, we work at a pace that feels manageable to help you make sense of what happened, recognize patterns that may have developed in response to the experience, and build healthier ways of coping. This can include learning how to manage difficult emotions, challenge thoughts that may no longer serve you, and develop a greater sense of safety and control. When appropriate, therapy may also involve gradually talking about or processing aspects of the traumatic experience so that it feels less overwhelming. The goal is not to erase what happened, but to help you understand its impact, reduce the hold it has on your life, and move forward with greater confidence and a stronger sense of yourself.
In therapy, we may explore patterns that show up in your relationships, how you communicate your needs, and what helps you feel safe and connected. We may also consider how earlier experiences have influenced the way you respond to others or understand yourself. This work can help you develop greater awareness of your needs, strengthen communication, set healthy boundaries, and build more secure and fulfilling relationships. The goal isn’t to blame your past or label the way you relate to people, but to better understand your experiences and create new ways of connecting that feel healthier and more aligned with who you want to be.