I have been working in the field of mental health for 14 years. I have experience working with a diverse range of people and mental health disorders. My professional background includes experience in the inpatient, outpatient, and intake hospital setting; non-profit agency setting; and, most recently, private practice. This experience allowed me the opportunity to work with children, adolescents, adults, and families utilizing a variety of unique interventions including cognitive-behavioral therapy, play therapy, eye movement desensitization (EMDR), and sand tray. I specialize in the treatment of trauma and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but I often take a client centered approach when building a trusting relationship with clients. Research shows that people who experience chronic mental health concerns have untreated trauma, which can occur from a variety of different experiences. Of course, trauma does not account for all mental health concerns, so it is important to be able to meet client's where they are at and provide interventions that are helpful to the individual needs of each client.

What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?

The first session depends on the age of the client. For children and adolescents, I will always meet with the caregiver(s) for the first session to obtain historical information and review policies and procedures. The second session with the child or adolescent will usually involve some type of rapport building activity, such as Jenga with questions on each block. The questions are either silly or serious and are meant to provide a relaxing introduction to counseling. For young children who are engaging in play therapy, they generally join the playroom and explore what they want to play with during the session. The first session for adults involves completing the intake paperwork, gathering historical information, understanding the presenting problem, and determining treatment goals. This all sounds very formal and structured, but building trust and rapport is important from the beginning.

Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.

I believe in building a trusting, therapeutic relationship from the start. People must feel emotionally safe in order to begin to process emotions and heal, which is done through a client-centered approach. The client-centered approach is non-judgmental and provides a space for unconditional positive regard. I do not typically offer advice and believe it is important for a client to solve their own problems in a way that is best for them. Empowerment is one way to help people feel more secure in solving their own problems, which can be done by engaging in strengths identification.

About Megan Young