Licensed to practice in 2 states and accepts 11 insurances. Specializes in Couples Counseling, Addiction, Mood Disorders and 10 more.
New to Grow
As a licensed therapist in Arizona/Colorado, I bring over two decades of experience supporting individuals through complex life changes. My practice centers on understanding and honoring diverse experiences, with specialized expertise in addressing depression, anxiety, relationship dynamics and addiction. My professional approach is deeply rooted in multicultural sensitivity, with a commitment to supporting individuals navigating prejudice, discrimination, and unique relationship structures. I have extensive experience working with first responders, immigrant communities, and individuals facing significant life transitions, including end-of-life counseling. I am bilingual in English and Spanish, which allows me to provide culturally responsive care that meets each client's unique communication needs. My therapeutic style emphasizes compassion, understanding, and collaborative healing, creating a supportive environment where individuals can explore their experiences and develop meaningful strategies for personal growth.
During the first session I believe it is important to make time for the client to be able to share their story. For some individuals it takes a great deal of courage to take that first step towards resolving long-term issues or simply a decision to have a more satisfying/content life. My therapeutic style is optimistic and supportive. I believe in treating everyone with reverence, kindness, and empathy. I think it is extremely important not to place individuals into any category or disparage with labels. I will tailor our interaction and treatment plan to meet your unique and specific needs.
My approach is very specialized and based on the individual. I meet each client where they are at and adjust my approach accordingly. Some clients are more fragile and are in need of a more supportive approach. Other clients may be using certain behaviors to deny or excuse certain behaviors. This individual may need a more direct approach.
My ideal client is not limited to any age or gender. Ideal expectations would be on an individual who is highly motivated for change and open to discuss all possible options. A client who asks for homework and then completes the homework. For the purpose of this example I will use a couple dealing with communication issues. The couple have only been married for six months and believe the issue with communication stems from their decision to rush into marriage. The rush to marry was due to faith based issues. Their faith did not believe in pre-marital sex and they much wanted a physical relationship. Now six months into the marriage the wife is in her fourth month of pregnancy. Neither believe in divorce and even if they did they now have a child to consider. It appears that they have better communication skills than were initially presented. They have openly shared their feelings and concerns about the marriage. They do not argue and appear to have a great deal of respect for each other. The one concern they both have is that did they marry just to have a physical relationship or do they really love each other. The couple was encouraged to further process their concern during the session and practice communication exercises. Since both were highly motivated to work through their issues they were able to validate each other's feelings and move beyond the guilt both had been experiencing. Both were able to acknowledge that the attraction they felt for each other was only part of the intense love that led them to marry. The Solution Focused Therapy approach helped the couple focus on what they had and continue to do well. Rather than focus on what they believe are all the mistakes they may have made.
The use of Solution Focused Brief Treatment is used in my practice to assist the client focus on what he or she is already doing well and build on these skills. I also use this modality to encourage the client to share their story and goals for treatment without any initial influence from me during the first session. With the results being true collaboration between the client and myself on treatment planning.