New to Grow
Counselor Crooks is a compassionate and culturally responsive therapist dedicated to helping individuals navigate emotional challenges, relationship concerns, stress, and personal growth. Through a supportive and evidence-based approach, she helps clients build healthier coping skills, improve self-awareness, and work toward living a more fulfilled and balanced life emotionally, spiritually, socially, and relationally. I believe that while I am an expert in mental, emotional, and behavioral health, Clients are the expert in knowing themselves, knowing how they feel and experiences things. Therefore, we will bring both our expertise together to ensure that each client feels supported, heard, and totally understood.
Your first session with Counselor Crooks is designed to be a welcoming, supportive, and judgment-free experience. The initial session focuses on getting to know you, understanding your concerns, and creating a safe space where you can begin your healing journey comfortably at your own pace. During the first session, Counselor Crooks will typically: Discuss confidentiality, counseling expectations, and the therapeutic process Explore the concerns, stressors, or challenges that brought you to counseling Learn more about your emotional, social, family, relationship, academic, spiritual, or work-related experiences Identify strengths, coping skills, goals, and areas where you desire growth or healing Provide support, empathy, and professional guidance without judgment Begin collaborating with you on a personalized treatment approach tailored to your unique needs Clients do not need to have everything figured out before starting therapy. The first session is simply the beginning of building trust, clarity, and a therapeutic relationship focused on helping you move toward emotional wellness and a more fulfilled life.
One of Counselor Crooks greatest counseling strengths is her ability to create a warm, supportive, and culturally responsive environment where clients feel genuinely heard, understood, and respected. She is especially skilled at helping high-functioning individuals and minority professionals navigate emotional stress, relationship challenges, burnout, identity pressures, and life transitions while still maintaining compassion and professionalism. Her therapeutic style combines empathy, insight, accountability, and practical coping strategies to help clients gain self-awareness, improve emotional wellness, and work toward meaningful life changes. Clients often appreciate her ability to balance emotional support with honest reflection, helping them feel both safe and challenged toward growth.
Counselor Crooks is passionate about supporting high-achieving minority professionals who may appear successful on the outside while silently carrying the weight of stress, pressure, emotional exhaustion, and identity-related challenges. She provides a safe, confidential, and culturally responsive space where clients can slow down, feel heard, and focus on their own healing and personal growth. Many of her clients are driven individuals who deeply desire fulfillment not only financially, but emotionally, spiritually, academically, socially, and within their intimate relationships as well. Counselor Crooks understands that success does not always protect people from burnout, loneliness, anxiety, self-doubt, or the pressure of constantly having to “hold it all together.” Her goal is to help clients reconnect with themselves, strengthen emotional wellness, build healthier relationships, and create a life that feels meaningful, balanced, and fulfilling from the inside out.
Other specialties
I identify as
Eclectic
Counselor Crooks uses an eclectic therapeutic approach by blending different evidence-based counseling methods to meet each client’s unique needs, personality, background, and goals. Instead of using a “one size fits all” style, she tailors treatment to what works best for the individual. This approach may include techniques from: CBT (Cognitive Behavioral Therapy) to help clients identify unhealthy thought patterns and develop healthier behaviors. DBT (Dialectical Behavior Therapy) skills to improve emotional regulation, distress tolerance, and communication. Family Systems Therapy to explore how childhood experiences, family dynamics, and relationships impact current behaviors and emotional wellness. Rogerian/Person-Centered Therapy to provide a safe, nonjudgmental environment where clients feel heard, valued, and empowered. Solution-Focused Therapy to help clients focus on strengths, goals, and practical next steps toward change. Psychoeducation to help clients better understand trauma, attachment styles, anxiety, depression, self-sabotage, and relationship patterns. Using an eclectic approach allows Counselor Crooks to adapt treatment for individuals, couples, families, and adolescents dealing with concerns such as: Anxiety and depression Trauma and grief Relationship conflict Attachment wounds Self-esteem challenges Emotional regulation difficulties Life transitions and stress Behavioral concerns Her goal is to help clients gain insight, develop healthy coping skills, strengthen relationships, and begin living a more fulfilled life emotionally, mentally, and relationally.
Person-centered (Rogerian)
Counselor Crooks uses the Rogerian therapeutic approach, also known as Person-Centered Therapy, to help clients feel emotionally safe, accepted, and empowered during the healing process. This approach focuses on creating a supportive environment where clients can openly explore their thoughts, emotions, experiences, and personal struggles without fear of judgment or criticism. Counselor Crooks believes that when individuals feel genuinely heard and understood, they are more likely to grow, heal, and discover solutions within themselves. Using the Rogerian approach, Counselor Crooks helps clients by: Providing unconditional positive regard Clients are treated with compassion, dignity, and respect regardless of their past mistakes, emotional struggles, or current circumstances. Practicing empathetic listening She works to deeply understand the client’s feelings and experiences from their perspective, helping clients feel validated and emotionally supported. Encouraging self-exploration and self-awareness Clients are guided to better understand their emotions, behaviors, relationship patterns, and personal values. Building self-esteem and confidence Through a nonjudgmental therapeutic relationship, clients often begin to trust themselves more and develop healthier self-worth. Helping clients identify their own strengths and solutions Rather than directing or controlling the session, Counselor Crooks helps clients discover their own inner abilities, resilience, and pathways toward change. Creating a safe space for emotional healing This approach is especially helpful for clients struggling with anxiety, depression, grief, trauma, relationship issues, self-sabotage, identity concerns, and emotional suppression. The Rogerian approach allows clients to feel accepted as they are while also encouraging personal growth and healthier emotional functioning. Counselor Crooks uses this method to help individuals move toward authenticity, emotional balance, healthier relationships, and a fuller life.
Jungian
Counselor Crooks may incorporate Jungian therapeutic concepts to help clients gain deeper insight into their emotions, behaviors, identity, and life patterns. The Jungian approach focuses on self-discovery, personal growth, and understanding the unconscious mind. Using this approach, Counselor Crooks helps clients explore how unresolved experiences, hidden emotions, internal conflicts, and past relationship patterns may influence present-day thoughts, behaviors, and relationships. A Jungian-informed approach may help clients by: Exploring the unconscious mind Clients are encouraged to examine thoughts, emotions, dreams, fears, and recurring patterns that may operate beneath conscious awareness. Identifying behavioral and relationship patterns Counselor Crooks helps clients recognize repeated cycles in relationships, emotional responses, self-sabotage, or decision-making that may stem from earlier life experiences. Understanding the “shadow self” Clients may explore hidden or rejected parts of themselves, including painful emotions, insecurities, anger, shame, or fears, in a healthy and supportive environment. Encouraging self-awareness and authenticity This approach supports clients in discovering who they truly are beyond societal expectations, trauma responses, or unhealthy coping mechanisms. Using symbolism, reflection, and meaning-making Counselor Crooks may help clients reflect on dreams, personal symbols, spiritual themes, or meaningful life experiences to better understand themselves and their emotional journey. Supporting individuation and personal growth Jungian therapy encourages clients to move toward emotional wholeness, balance, and a stronger sense of identity and purpose. This therapeutic style can be especially beneficial for clients experiencing: Identity struggles Relationship difficulties Anxiety and depression Childhood wounds Life transitions Self-esteem concerns Emotional disconnection Repeated unhealthy patterns Counselor Crooks uses a compassionate and reflective approach to help clients better understand themselves, heal emotionally, and move toward living a more fulfilled and authentic life.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
Counselor Crooks uses the Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) approach to help clients recognize how their thoughts, emotions, and behaviors are connected. CBT is a structured, evidence-based therapy that focuses on identifying unhealthy thinking patterns and replacing them with healthier, more productive ways of thinking and coping. Using the CBT approach, Counselor Crooks helps clients by: Identifying negative thought patterns Clients learn to recognize automatic negative thoughts, self-criticism, overthinking, catastrophizing, and distorted beliefs that may contribute to anxiety, depression, low self-esteem, or unhealthy behaviors. Challenging unhealthy beliefs Counselor Crooks helps clients evaluate whether their thoughts are accurate, helpful, or based on fear, trauma, or past experiences. Developing healthier coping skills Clients are taught practical tools to manage stress, anxiety, emotional overwhelm, anger, and difficult life situations in healthier ways. Improving emotional regulation CBT helps clients better understand emotional triggers and learn techniques to respond more calmly and effectively. Changing unhealthy behaviors Clients work on replacing self-defeating or self-sabotaging behaviors with healthier habits, routines, and decision-making patterns. Building confidence and self-esteem By changing negative self-talk and limiting beliefs, clients often begin to develop healthier self-worth and increased confidence. Setting realistic goals and solutions Counselor Crooks works collaboratively with clients to create achievable goals and actionable steps toward personal growth and healing. CBT can be especially effective for individuals experiencing: Anxiety Depression Trauma-related symptoms Stress management difficulties Low self-esteem Relationship problems Anger management concerns Self-sabotaging behaviors Negative thinking patterns Counselor Crooks uses CBT to help clients become more aware of how their mindset impacts their emotional health and daily life, empowering them to create healthier thoughts, behaviors, and relationships while working toward living a more fulfilled life.