(she/her)
Are you searching for someone to listen to you? For many years, I have heard over and over, “Thank you, I have just been wanting someone to listen to me”. I have always felt led to just sit and listen when someone opens up and spills their heart to me. I have been a licensed social worker for 30 years, working with clients in healthcare settings and case management. I have also been a licensed professional counselor for the last 5 years. I have worked with the senior population in skilled, nursing, private homes, and inpatient physical rehabilitation for 30 years. This brought me to not only work directly with the senior population, but also their family members to provide the love and support needed to get through life's challenges and circumstances. I have gained experience in helping work through stress, anxiety, depression, family dynamics, job loss, marital problems, physical limitations, and/or disabilities, as well as long-term life-altering situations. These situations brought me to work with adults of all ages due to the circumstances affecting relationships with family and friends. I am a wife, a mother of two young adult children, a mother-in-law, a sister, and a daughter myself. I understand and know how family dynamics affect an individual’s physical and emotional health in all aspects of their daily lives. I am trauma-informed. I understand and realize that traumatic events (no matter when they happened in life) can follow us down the road when we don't even realize it is happening. Once a client is educated regarding how trauma affects brain function, they are more able to realize the power they have to make positive change in their lives, where before they may have felt stuck or powerless.
In our first session, we'll go over your intake information (completed before the session) and fill in any more details. This will allow us to move on to you sharing the main reason you have reached out for counseling to set goal/s and work on improving your circumstances.
In my years of working as a professional, I have had the opportunity to work in newborn adoption, nursing facilities, acute hospitals, and case management. This experience has allowed me to work with adults of all ages, family systems, and help individuals and their families work through personal, health, and life-changing events. This has provided me with much-needed experience working with clients of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds. I have always been able to stop, listen, and give my undivided attention to those needing someone to listen to them. This requires patience and the ability to allow the client to feel comfortable in sharing their circumstances, thoughts, and feelings with no judgement. Working in a hospital setting during a worldwide pandemic was not something any of us expected. It was not just life-changing for the patients, but for me as a professional as well. We made it to the other side of that unexpected life-altering experience. It wasn't easy, but I am a stronger professional for the experience.
I have worked in healthcare environments with young adults, middle aged adults and seniors in their homes for 30 + years. I have also supported their family members/caregivers going through life transitions while caring for loved ones health needs and dealing with dynamics of relationships. In these situations stress can often bring anxiety and depression for those involved. I love to help my clients and/or family members see through the fog of their situation and be able to see light on the other side.
It is important to allow clients to feel and acknowledge their feelings in order to more understand them. As they are able to process and more understand their feelings, it is easier for them to learn to retrain their brain and stay in control of their reactions to feelings. This will allow clients to choose to change their behaviors in order to see positive change in their lives. This process will also help to see the light at the end of the tunnel as they become more in control of their own reactions and behaviors in response to stressful situations that life tends to bring.
You know yourself better than anyone else. I want to hear from you why you are seeking counseling and what you need to get from therapy. As follow up sessions move on it is imperative to allow the client to voice their main issue and what they need help with in moving forward toward meeting their goals.
Adlerian theory is based on our history, upbringing, family roles, childhood environment, and experiences, which have a major influence on how we navigate through life. Processing through how you react to stress may allow you to see more clearly how to gain control in changing thoughts, behaviors, and reactions to get the desired outcomes.