Licensed to practice in 2 states and accepts 11 insurances. Specializes in Addiction, Bipolar Disorder, Older Adults and 2 more.
(she/her)
New to Grow
Hello. I am happy you are checking out my profile for the possibility of working together. I was first licensed as a Marriage Family Therapist in California in 2006. I have over 20 years experience working with individuals who are suffering from PTSD, which includes anxiety and depression. My primary expertise is in substance Use Disorders. I believe this is the starting place for healing if one is concerned about their use of mind altering substances.
During our first session I will be conducting an assessment that enables me to get to know you and your history and why you are seeking treatment at this time. I will provide you a safe and confidential space.
For therapy to be successful there must be trust between us. The first few sessions will be about getting to know one another and developing a safe place for you to engage in the work. I am a compassionate person with a true desire to help. I have a special ability to help individuals feel relaxed and safe to open up. I don't judge any shared behaviors as being maladaptive or bad. In working with PTSD, I bring a full spectrum of modalities, including emotional release work, somatic approaches and cognitive behavioral strategies.
I enjoy helping people navigate the major life transitions that we all face as we age. This can include aging, grief and loss, adult children leaving the home and empty nest syndrome and many others. I also enjoy working with clients who are struggling with all forms of addiction and helping them find solutions that work for them. This includes psychoeducation on the various stages of addiction.
CBT works on helping the individual to notice how their thoughts triggers emotions and then the behavior that follows. CBT uses "home work" to journal thoughts and emotions and this provides the direction of our work together.
I bring a curiosity to learn about different cultures and know the client is the expert in their cultural relationship to receiving therapeutic help. I let the client guide the treatment plan that works for them.
I use Motivational interviewing to assist the client to know where they are in the process of change This points to the resistance to change behaviors and helps the client make the next step to effect the positive changes they desire in their life.
Narrative therapy helps the client re-write their life story and in the process the client can change the way they believe about things in their past. This brings the client to a new way of looking at their past and this brings relief to the client.
When a client has one issue they want to work through, this method focuses on that one goal. I will assist the client in defining when their goal has been met.