LICSW, 10 years of experience
Hi! First, I want to acknowledge that looking for a therapist is a brave and important step towards your wellness, recovery and healing. So strong work for getting to this step! Therapy is a process, and it takes strength and vulnerability to get to where you want to be. I have spent ten years working as a licensed clinical social worker in the hospital setting where I have worked with immigrants, families, young adults, and older adults who come from multicultural backgrounds and LGBTQ+ identities with varying levels of mental health struggles, fears, and traumas. I have spent these years dedicating my time to supporting those dealing with chronic health issues, managing life after a cancer diagnosis, learning how to engage in life after trauma(s), coping with mental health challenges while balancing careers and relationships, and learning how to live with various forms of grief. My commitment is to create a safe and inclusive space for you to work through your challenges so that you can feel more confident and empowered to move forward.
In our first session, we will start with brief introductions before diving into more specifics as to what brings you to therapy. I will ask you some questions about your history and any past mental health care you may have accessed in the past, what has worked, and what has not. This will help me create a more tailored plan for us to work through in follow-up sessions. I know that it can take some time to feel fully comfortable to share certain things, so we will take things at a pace that works for you. Deep breaths!
The individuals I've worked with over the years have known me to provide an empathic and non-judgmental environment for them to feel comfortable in working through the hard stuff. I will also help you identify your strengths along the way.
I love working with adults who are motivated to address the aspects of their life that are causing them to feel stuck. I am especially passionate about working with adults who are struggling with trauma histories, depression, anxiety and/or substance use issues. I am affirming of BIPOC and LGBTQ+ identities and I strive to use a liberation based framework in our work together. I will work with you on learning new ways of understanding and conceptualizing your issues while identifying your strengths, and we will work collaboratively on developing coping skills to help you take charge of your life again. I tend to pull from a variety of modalities including using CBT, DBT, ACT, mindfulness, internal family systems, and trauma-informed care.
I use an eclectic treatment method incorporating trauma informed practices, Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), Dialectical Behavioral Therapy (DBT), Acceptance Commitment Therapy (ACT), and solution-focused principles.