Maybe you are struggling with things that happened in your past that are keeping you from living a full life. Maybe you have been feeling lost or overwhelmed due to difficult situations or relationships. Maybe you have been feeling isolated, lonely, or just simply not like yourself lately. If you are going through any of these hard things or the other difficulties of life, I send you loving-kindness. I love being able to compassionately support people like you who want to see meaningful and noticeable changes in how they view themselves and the world around them so they can stop being afraid of life and start living it. I believe in the resiliency, dignity, and worth of my clients, even if they struggle to see those things in themselves -- because let's face it, being a human being in modern life is hard and you deserve your own kindness! I empower people who are trying to heal from a variety of issues -- substance use problems and recovery, past trauma or childhood family dysfunction, relationship troubles, mental health disorders or symptoms such as depression, anxiety, PTSD, or trouble adjusting to life changes. My background is working with people dealing with substance use disorders and past trauma, homelessness and poverty, legal issues and incarceration, as well as providing mental health therapy services for all ages. To treat anxiety or depression, I will typically work with you for 6-8 sessions utilizing cognitive behavioral therapy or exposure and response prevention (ERP). You can expect to learn skills and education about the disorder you are experiencing so that you can "be your own therapist" at the conclusion of therapy. Treatment plans are collaborative and you can expect homework between sessions.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
After your first session with me, you can expect to walk away with a little more hope than you came in with. Depending on what issues you are working through, I may assign a homework assignment that was collaboratively decided on between the two of us. You can expect me to check in with you about the work between sessions that you did to move you towards your goals. When we have been working together for a while and you are doing better, you can expect to always have an open door to reach out to me when struggles arise -- sort of like having a primary care provider that you can go to when an "emotional cold" arises!
What treatment methods and tools do you utilize?
In therapy with me, you can expect a collaborative, non-judgmental approach to working on problems together. We will address the habits and behaviors in your life that you have deemed unhelpful, and work to build a lifestyle of healthy habits -- physically, mentally, and emotionally. I integrate mindfulness, self-compassion, and gently challenging the deep-rooted beliefs that can make us feel "stuck". I am a certified Trauma-Informed Care counselor and a Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional, so you can be confident we will work with evidence-based treatments, but you will also find that I use person-centered techniques of unconditional acceptance, humor, and the unwavering belief that you can get better and live a meaningful and rich life.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
My biggest strength is my ability to empathize with you -- I strive to put myself in your shoes and get a sense of the emotions and experiences you are having, without judging those feelings or experiences. I recognize and honor the fact that your life is your own path and that you are doing the best that you can with what you have -- you are the hero of your own journey, and it is my passion to be a co-journer beside you and provide support and compassion as you work to recover from the difficult things that life brings. I welcome you to reach out to schedule a therapy session with me. I look forward to supporting you and celebrating with you as you reach your goals and grow. This is my favorite part of my career!