Get to know me

In our first session together, here's what you can expect

Your first session with me is designed to set the foundation for our work together. Getting to Know You We will begin by talking about what brought you to therapy and what you hope to gain from our time together. For children and adolescents, this often involves gathering information not only from the child but also from caregivers to understand the full picture of what’s happening at home, school, and socially. For adults, we’ll explore your history, current concerns, and goals in a way that feels conversational, not overwhelming. Creating Goals Together Once I have an understanding of your background, we will start outlining initial goals. These may be broad at first—such as “managing stress better” or “helping my child focus in school”—but together we’ll refine them into clear, achievable steps. My goal is to make therapy practical and relevant to your everyday life. What to Expect in the Session I encourage all clients to keep a pen and paper handy, as I often share skills, tools, or exercises you may want to jot down. Depending on your needs, some sessions may feel more structured, where I guide you through coping strategies or thought-challenging exercises. Other sessions may be more open, giving you space to process your experiences and emotions while receiving validation and support. For children, sessions may include developmentally appropriate activities such as drawing, storytelling, or games that make therapy engaging while still targeting therapeutic goals. Caregivers may also be involved in parts of the session to ensure continuity between therapy and the home environment. Building Safety and Trust I value transparency and open communication. If something in therapy does not feel useful, I encourage clients to say so. The first session is a space to begin building trust, ask questions, and establish comfort with the process. We will also discuss confidentiality, the boundaries of therapy, and what you can expect in terms of frequency, structure, and communication. By the end of the session, you will leave with a clearer sense of what therapy will look like, what initial goals we are working toward, and what role both of us will play in the process.

The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions

What sets me apart as a therapist is the balance I bring between structured, evidence-based approaches and deep, compassionate presence. Evidence-Based Foundation I ground my work in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT), Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), and Solution-Focused Therapy, ensuring that clients have access to practical and effective tools. CBT helps clients recognize and shift unhelpful thought patterns, DBT builds emotional regulation and distress tolerance, ACT emphasizes values-driven living, and Solution-Focused Therapy highlights strengths and helps clients envision and take steps toward their preferred future. Together, these approaches allow me to provide both immediate relief and long-term growth. Flexibility and Adaptability While I bring structure through skills and interventions, I am also highly flexible. Some clients arrive wanting concrete strategies to manage stress or behavior, while others may simply need space to process their experiences. I honor both, adapting sessions to meet the emotional tone and needs of each individual. Solution-Focused Therapy is particularly powerful here, because even in moments of struggle, I help clients identify what is working and use those successes as building blocks for progress. Experience Across Ages and Settings With over 20 years of experience across schools, homes, community programs, and telehealth, I have developed a wide lens for understanding challenges in context. Whether supporting a child struggling with school behaviors, a caregiver feeling overwhelmed, or an adult managing workplace stress, I bring insight that reflects both individual experiences and the systems surrounding them. Caregiver Collaboration Another strength I bring is my ability to partner with caregivers. Children make the greatest progress when parents are engaged and equipped, and I excel at teaching parenting strategies that strengthen connection and build confidence. Solution-Focused Therapy supports this process by helping caregivers recognize their own effective parenting moments and amplify them. Compassion and Directness Clients often describe me as both warm and transparent. I listen deeply, validate openly, and also speak directly about what I observe in ways that promote growth. I encourage clients to share when something is or isn’t working so we can shift together. This honesty fosters trust and makes therapy a truly collaborative process. Results-Orie

The clients I'm best positioned to serve

The clients I am best positioned to serve are those who are open to growth, even if they are not exactly sure what they want that growth to look like yet. Much of my career has been dedicated to supporting children and adolescents, and I find it especially meaningful to walk alongside young people as they navigate challenges in their emotional, social, and academic worlds. I work well with children who are struggling with ADHD, anxiety, depression, or trauma, and with teens who may be facing peer difficulties, self-esteem concerns, or the ups and downs of identity development. For many of these clients, school can become overwhelming or behavior at home may feel hard to manage, and therapy offers a safe and structured space for them to explore these struggles. Because children do not exist in isolation, I also work closely with parents and caregivers. I believe strongly that progress happens when families are engaged, and I provide strategies, guidance, and support that help parents strengthen their role while empowering them to respond to their child’s needs with confidence. In addition to my work with youth, I have also spent more than a decade serving adults who carry their own burdens into the therapy room. I enjoy working with individuals who are coping with anxiety, depression, or burnout, and with those whose lives have been touched by caregiver responsibilities, postpartum transitions, or chronic illness. Many of my adult clients are navigating work stress, relationship challenges, or significant life changes, and they often come to therapy feeling stuck, depleted, or unsure of how to move forward. My role is to provide both tools and a safe space for reflection, so they can regain clarity, resilience, and balance. My ideal clients are not required to arrive in therapy with everything figured out. Instead, what matters most is a willingness to engage in the process, even if it feels uncomfortable or unfamiliar at times. Some may begin therapy in crisis, needing immediate relief, while others may come with a quieter longing for growth, healing, or self-understanding. I meet clients where they are, honoring both their struggles and their strengths, and we work together to create a path that feels meaningful and achievable. My clients value collaboration, transparency, and the opportunity to use therapy as a space for both structure and compassion—whether that means building concrete coping skills, processing emotions, or reevaluating goals as life

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