(she/her)
New to Grow
Hello, my name is Teresa. I have lived on the Central Coast for the past six years. I enjoy spending time at home with my family and our two doodles. I enjoy the outdoors and staying active. I began my Social Worker career in 2016, initially working with children and families through the foster care system. In 2024 I began working primarily with adults struggling with a variety of mental health challenges and diagnosis. I enjoy being a Social Worker and working with people.
Our first session will consist of getting to know you and what your current challenges and goals are.
Life brings on challenges and different seasons that sometimes lead to depression, anxiety, increase stress, addiction, etc. I want to work with you on focusing on the moments you can control and enjoy them, develop positive coping skills and work through past maladaptive thoughts and behaviors. The goal is to help increase the quality of your life. I assess clients where they are at, discuss their beliefs, childhood, resources, and work with them to develop ways to improve the quality of their life.
We will be a great fit if you are looking for positive change in your life and ready to be open minded and try new things. I also enjoy working with clients who maybe are in the unknown stage of what they need or what they are willing to do. I believe everyone needs support at each stage in life and I am happy to meet the client where they are at. The fact that you are looking for therapy is a win right there.
Other specialties
I identify as
Strength-Based
I use a strength-based approach with all clients. It is important to highlight the wins in life, the strengths currently or in the past to highlight and build on them. Sometime this can be hard without some guidance and support, but each client is unique with their own set of strengths.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
It is important to be able to identify our thoughts, emotions, and behaviors and how they directly impact our being and the potential unhelpful pattern that has become a barrier to our life. Once this pattern and specific thoughts, emotions, behaviors are identified, then we can work on a more realistic way to manage them.
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
This approach is goal-oriented, with focus on the current/present moment and developing the best solutions to manage your current circumstances. This approach is for those who need a few sessions and usually conclude within a few months.
Motivational Interviewing
This approach is used for those who are experiencing a behavior in life (such as addiction) that they are feeling conflicted about changing, but maybe know that it is time or should be time. This calls for patience and a supportive approach to help guide you into developing a plan of action.
Positive Psychology
This approach is similar to how a life coach may support you. I work with you on identifying the strengths in your life, the good things going on, and how to experience more gratitude, purposefulness, and encourage accomplishments in life.