New to Grow
I hold a Bachelor’s Degree from Missouri State University and a Master’s Degree in Counseling from John Brown University. Counseling is my “second act,” following 23 years of ministry experience that prepared me for a natural transition into this profession. I am trained in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Marriage and Family Therapy, Crisis and Trauma Counseling, Addictions Counseling, Group Therapy, Play Therapy, and more. I draw from multiple modalities in my practice—most often using an Internal Family Systems approach with individuals and the Gottman method with couples. I offer faith based counseling upon request.
I always tell clients our first session is going to be a bit transactional. This just means that we don't know each other & we need to fix that! During our first session, you can expect to have the floor to tell me who you are. While that should include what has brought you to therapy, what you brought you here is not all there is to you, so I also want to know what makes you YOU. After you have shared everything you want me to know, I will tell you a bit about me, because it is important for you to know who you are sharing with. We will also talk about the legalities & ethics involved in therapy, & I will share with you a bit of what our sessions might look like. After all that, we will see if you or I have any questions for each other, then we will use any remaining session time to discuss more the reasons you are coming to therapy.
I love the Internal Family Systems (IFS) approach for many reasons, but what I love the most is that it allows you to care for all your internal parts, with the recognition that each part is there for a reason. In our sessions, we may explore these parts through talk therapy or through formal IFS exploration. Many of my clients have stated that they feel validated with this approach, noting that it feels comforting to know they can stop trying to reprimand themselves or suppress every negative thought or feeling.
My favorite clients include adolescents & parents who are struggling to understand each other regarding belief systems. I also really enjoy working with women of all ages who feel like they are fighting to know or make know their value. Another demographic I like to work with are those who are seeking counsel from a faith based perspective, regardless of where they are in their faith journey.
Internal Family Systems (IFS)
Internal Family Systems postulates that we all have parts inside of us working for our benefit, although they can work in extreme ways that may not FEEL good to us (think of the Inside Out movies by Pixar). Utilizing aspects of this approach, I help my clients explore their own internal parts with compassionate curiosity, moving toward care & healing of each hurting part.
Faith based therapy
Many clients are seeking counseling from a faith based perspective, whether they are exploring their personal beliefs, challenging the beliefs of their family of origin, or returning to abandoned beliefs. I have both training & personal experience in this area & love to provide faith based therapy upon request.