I am a Licensed Mental Health Counselor with over 10 years of professional mental health experience. I graduated with my Bachelor's in Psychology in 2008 and my Master's degree in Counselor Education, with a graduate certificate in Marriage and Family Therapy, in 2012. I have worked in a variety of mental health settings, which has given me a wide range of clinical experience and allowed me to work with clients from different walks of life and cultural backgrounds. I am radical and revolutionary in thought and praxis and believe in a liberated and equitable world for all people. Clients who tend to be attracted to me are those who may struggle with a lack of confidence and self-esteem, those who are plagued with "Imposter Syndrome", and those who identify as people-pleasers. I also work with People of Color on healing internalized oppression. My clients are often very bright and self-aware but feel they are missing the tools, accountability and higher-level knowledge to get themselves into action and start making tangible, concrete progress. Additional areas of focus: Addictions, LGBT, Relationship issues, Family conflicts, Trauma and abuse, Grief, Intimacy-related issues, Depression, Coping with life changes, Life Purpose, Multicultural Concerns, Prejudice and Discrimination, Self-Love, Women's Issues Therapy does not have to be a years-long, overwhelming or deeply painful process. Many people I have worked with have remarked that they were surprised at how quickly they were able to feel a sense of progress, where they felt stagnant for years or decades prior. While I am very good at what I do, I can only meet you as far and as deep as you are willing to go yourself. Those who are proactive about their healing work and take responsibility tend to make the most progress in the least amount of time.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
I am always kind, warm and respectful to my clients. Therapy can and should be enjoyable, too, so I believe in using humor as is appropriate and come across as a normal, down-to-earth person who is also highly knowledgeable and effective. Some clients would say I offer a "tough love" approach, at times, in the sense that I believe that being honest with clients and holding them accountable saves clients unnecessary time, energy and suffering.
What treatment methods and tools do you utilize?
I use a combination of several theoretical approaches, including but not limited to Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Mindfulness, Motivational Interviewing and Solution-Focused Therapy, to not only meet you where you are, but to help you make progress toward where you would like to be and how you desire to feel. We will work together to create realistic, achievable goals and benchmarks to help you track your progress.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
I believe in my clients' ability to heal, change and prosper, so rather than just feed clients answers or tell them what they want to hear, I create space for clients to come to their own insights and epiphanies while offering gentle yet solid energy and guidance. I have many passions outside of therapy and use my diverse skill set in my therapy work. It's not uncommon for me to connect with clients on everything from the arts, to business to world issues. As a Black woman who is also a therapist, I'm well aware of the disparities many people face. I am compassionate to all people and do my best in both my professional and private life to be the change in the world that I want to see.