My name is Caryl Cabrera. I am a licensed LCPC in the State of Maryland. I have been practicing for over 10 years, working with a many different diagnosis and needs. I worked in different capacities. I provided psychiatric rehabilitation (PRP) services for individuals with severe and persistent mental health diagnosis. I was a Supervisor at a non-profit for a case management team for over 7 years. This is where I have extensive experience in working with individuals with anxiety, low self-esteem, poor boundaries and difficulties forming relationships. I was one of the main presenters for Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT) and used these methods and techniques in my everyday work and practice. I am an Approved LCPC Supervisor in Maryland. I have provided a number of Licensed Graduate Professional Counselors (LGPC) with the supervision hours they needed to fulfill their requirements to obtain their LCPC. I have special training in Perinatal Mood Disorders and Mental Health. This training is a focus on the well-being of mothers as a whole, while also paying specific attention to her mental health as she moves along the journey of motherhood from conception to the Fourth Trimester. I feel this group of both fathers and mothers are one of the most overlooked and under-supported group, during a time in their lives when they REALLY need it. Much attention is given to the mothers during pregnancy and during the times before giving birth, but a lot of that support and attention disappears and shifts to the baby once delivery happens.

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

During the first session with me, clients can expect me to go through basic, but important aspects of therapy, such as: HIPPA, informed consent, the requirements of therapy for the State of Maryland, limitations of therapy, safety and expectations of therapy from both myself and the client. I will then ask what brings them to therapy and what their goals are for therapy. I always make sure the client is comfortable and I always create a safe space where the client feels they will not be judged and they feel safe to say whatever they need to.

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

I feel one of the things I do well is notice intangible things that are important in therapy. What I mean by this, are things like: reading between the lines, noticing what the client may be saying without saying it (through tone, body language, etc.), notice when defense mechanisms are coming up, adding humor when possible/needed, and drawing connections from one story or event to another to identify possible patterns for behaviors. These elements make clients feel understood and lead to more breakthrough moments that lend to more self-awareness and pathways for change.

Describe the client(s) you are best positioned to serve.

I enjoy working with clients who are wanting to make a change, but unsure about how to go about doing so as they are feeling overwhelmed on where to start and how work to go about tackling goals that feel massive and out-of-reach. They do not quite have the awareness of what holds them back, nor the tools or coping skills to propel them forward. This then creates high anxiety for them as they feel "behind" in their careers, lonely due to lack of meaningful relationships and frozen with anxiety and uncertainty instead of making strides towards their goals and desires. My other clients I best serve are women entering motherhood. Not just during the post partum stage, but the perinatal stage which encompasses the time from conception to the fourth trimester. The fourth trimester is the year after giving birth. There are MANY issues that happen during this time, such as hormonal imbalances, lactation challenges, effects from birth trauma, taking on a new identity as "mother", depression, mood disorders, sleep deprivation, myths about motherhood, and physical healing...just to name a few.

About Caryl Cabrera