New to Grow
Hi, I’m Natalie! I’m a Northern California-based Licensed Clinical Social Worker who believes therapy is most effective when it feels like a genuine, supportive relationship. Real progress happens when you feel comfortable, understood, and connected—and that’s always where I begin. My clinical background includes school-based mental health, hospice, community-mental health and private practice, which allows me to meet a wide range of experiences. My style is warm, relaxed, and non-judgmental. I focus on building authentic connections and letting you take the lead at a pace that feels right. At the same time, I’m not afraid to ask thoughtful questions, offer supportive challenges, and use humor to lighten the process when it fits. I view you as the expert of your own life, and my role is to help you recognize and build on your strengths. While I prefer an unstructured, conversational approach, I also draw on evidence-based practices for skill-building and support when helpful. Together, we’ll work to identify tools and strategies that support your well-being and help you feel more confident navigating life’s challenges.
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
The first session is a chance to get to know one another, and determine if this feels like a good fit for your needs. This might look like me asking questions to identify your areas of concern/what brings you in, reviewing intake paperwork, information gathering, and doing a lot of listening on my end. Together we will identify your goals for therapy.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
I have a way of utilizing humor in session to help people feel comfortable. Clients have given me positive feedback on this, and have shared that it has helped them to feel relaxed and comfortable.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
I work with adults and young adults and have experience supporting clients across a range of settings, including schools, hospice, community programs, and private practice. Outside of Grow Therapy, I provide therapy to undergraduate and graduate-level college students, which has deepened my understanding of the unique pressures and transitions associated with higher education—particularly for those entering helping or caregiving professions. I specialize in grief in its many forms, including loss related to illness, death, relationship changes, identity, life transitions, and pet loss. I am also passionate about supporting clients navigating anxiety, depression, ADHD, relationship challenges, burnout, stress management, and periods of significant change. I have specialized training in grief and loss work and am a Certified Veterinary Social Worker, with a focus on the human-animal bond and the profound impact of pet loss. I strive to create a supportive, compassionate space where clients feel understood and empowered to navigate life’s challenges with greater clarity and resilience.
Strength-Based
I use this as the foundation of my work. Clients often come in focused on what’s “wrong,” but I intentionally highlight skills, values, and resilience they already have. I integrate this by reflecting back strengths I notice in session, helping clients identify past successes, and using those to fuel confidence in addressing current challenges.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I draw from CBT when clients are struggling with unhelpful thought patterns or anxiety. In practice, I use Socratic questioning and Behavioral Activation techniques to help clients test and shift their thinking. For example, if a client is overthinking worst-case scenarios, we challenge the thought together and build alternative perspectives. I adapt CBT to the client’s comfort level. I may also encourage clients to schedule and engage in meaningful, rewarding, or mastery-oriented activities, even if they don’t “feel like it" because doing this can improve mood and help "get the ball rolling".
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
I use SFBT strategies to create momentum and keep sessions client-driven, especially when someone feels stuck or overwhelmed. I may ask future-oriented questions, or scaling questions to measure progress. It helps keeps our work practical and attainable. I also help clients set small, actionable steps so they leave sessions with a sense of direction and hope.
Psychoeducation
I use psychoeducation regularly across sessions because I believe that when clients understand what they’re experiencing and why, it helps reduce shame, increases insight, and makes interventions feel more doable. I tailor psychoeducation to the client’s needs and learning style. With anxious clients, I might explain the fight-or-flight system and how physical symptoms (like racing heart or shortness of breath) are linked to their body’s alarm system. With grief and loss, I normalize the non-linear process and common reactions people might have. With ADHD or depression, I explain how executive functioning, energy, and motivation can be impacted, and then connect that back to coping strategies. I keep explanations conversational and interactive. I often use visuals, metaphors, or everyday examples.