(she/her)
New to Grow
Hello! Welcome to my profile! I know it can be challenging to figure out who the best therapist for you is based on a written profile, so I will try to do my best to describe myself and my approach to counseling accurately! I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor based out of Orlando, Florida. While my license is in "mental health counseling", I received my Master's degree in Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling. I enjoy working with relationships of all kinds--romantic, family, friendships, colleagues, and most importantly, the relationship you have with yourself. I utilize the Enneagram personality test with many of my clients because I believe that making an effort to get to know yourself on a deeper level can benefit you greatly and help you navigate life's challenges a little bit easier. I am working my way through training with the Gottman Method and focus on rebuilding emotional connection, healing attachment wounds, and strengthening communication skills with couples. On a personal note, I am a Midwest girl from Michigan who moved to Florida in 2010. As a resident of Orlando, I love going to the theme parks (Disney and Universal). I enjoy all things pop culture: movies, music, TV shows, sports, theater, video games, etc. I love to travel, explore new places, and experience different cultures. I thrive during the Halloween and Christmas seasons in terms of decorating, activities, and participating in fun traditions with family and friends. I am happily married and a proud dog mom. I am also an affirming and supportive ally to the LGBTQI+ community.
Our first session typically involves a lot of "info dumping" or "venting" on your part to help me get to know you and your counseling needs. I enjoy hearing people's life stories, even if they're not happy ones, and I will actively listen to what you have to say and empathize with your situation. My goal is to make the counseling environment feel safe and comfortable for you to open up and be vulnerable with your thoughts and emotions. If you have questions for me, I'm happy to answer them (within ethical reason), but I want to make sure that the time is spent focused on you! Towards the end of the session, I will mention some techniques and strategies that could be helpful and beneficial to you when it comes to counseling, and we can collaborate on making sure you are getting the best treatment possible!
Comfortability. That's my goal when it comes to my approach to counseling. I want you to feel comfortable in speaking openly about your life and what you are going through. I want our counseling "relationship" to resemble a supportive, non-judgmental, and empathetic friendship. The way I implement my approach depends on you and your needs, as I try to tailor the experience to what is best for you. Sometimes I let you talk, and I sit and actively listen to every word you say. Sometimes it is a collaborative back-and-forth conversation. Sometimes I do a bit more talking, explaining, or educating you on a specific topic. For the most part, I am laid-back and flexible, and I am open to different approaches and figuring out what is best for you. If you need to be pushed or challenged or shown tough love, I can do that, but only after we have developed a positive rapport (and even then, my delivery is compassionate and empathetic). Depending on your needs, I might recommend books or specific resources for you to look into in between sessions to supplement what we discuss during sessions.
Have you been struggling in your relationship with your partner? Are you feeling lonely, unloved, uneasy, or anxious about the relationship? Do you try to talk to your partner about it, but end up feeling unheard and misunderstood because the conversation turns into an argument? These relationship challenges—such as feelings of loneliness, anxiety, or being misunderstood—are highly treatable. With the right tools and guidance, you can effectively navigate these hurdles and rebuild your connection. I strive to create a safe and empathetic environment for all my clients (couples or individuals). Every relationship is unique, and I treat them as such, utilizing key strategies and techniques to tailor the experience. I will work collaboratively with the client to explore and identify the patterns and obstacles they are facing and help the couple or individual work through them to forge new paths of love and understanding. Specific areas of focus include improving communication skills within arguments, rebuilding trust and emotional connectivity, and growing together in love and friendship. If you're ready to leave behind the negative cycles of conflict, pain, and grief to rediscover the joy and fun in your relationship, I'm here to help you. Reach out today, and we will take that first step toward building a healthier, more fulfilling partnership together.
Currently working through formal training in The Gottman Method. This method for couples counseling has been incredibly beneficial in the work that I have done (both personally and professionally). The Gottman Method uses research-backed strategies to help couples eliminate toxic and destructive communication patterns, improve communication skills positively, deepen emotional connection and intimacy, and resolve recurring conflicts. Within the Gottman Method are techniques involving Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) and Attachment-based therapy (as listed below).
Many issues within couples counseling stem from one's "attachment". The "attachment" is based on how your needs were met as a child by your primary caregivers and can fluctuate based on other relationships throughout life. The four main attachments are Secure, Anxious, Avoidant, and Fearful Avoidant (a combination of Anxious and Avoidant). Identifying your attachment style can help you understand why you behave and respond in certain ways, and how those ways might not be helpful in your specific relationship. Working on combating some of the negative patterns can help you become more secure with your attachment to your partner and allow you to have a happy and healthy relationship.
I use Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) to help you focus on accessing, processing, and transforming underlying emotions as the driver for psychological healing. I use EFT to encourage clients to explore the root emotional experience and attachment needs, and "feel through" their emotions. I have found that EFT has helped accept, understand, and regulate your emotions and feelings to respond better in emotional situations.
Person-centered therapy focuses on you, the client. I can provide guidance and insight and collaboratively work with you to figure out what your best path forward is, but I don't provide direct advice or tell you how to live your life. I strive to provide a safe, non-judgmental therapy space for disclosure using empathy, unconditional positive regard, and genuineness to empower your personal growth.