Hello, my name is Kelly and I've been practicing in the state of Texas for the last 5 years and have lived here for the last 7. I'm originally from Georgia and like so many residents of Texas I am a transplant just trying to survive the scorching heat. I did all of my education and pre-licensure work in Georgia where I worked for a mobile mental health crisis team, the first of its kind in the nation. There I was able to gain some valuable experience working with populations on the fringe of society such as homeless individuals, those in jail, people in the ER needing mental health evaluations and others. I brought all of that experience with me to Texas where I specialize in Anxiety, Depression, and Bipolar Disorder and have experience with addiction and recovery from substances and alcohol. I have held several community-based therapist positions in a wide variety of roles. I have been a therapist in an addiction treatment facility for adolescents, and worked as a treatment director for a residential treatment facility for teenage girls, as I've also worked in the foster care system in Texas briefly. Since going full-time into private practice I have chosen to focus on adults mainly I also have experience with with neurodivergent individuals with ADHD as well as high-functioning Autism and learning how to function within the limitations both of those diagnoses provide on a daily basis but I do not currently specialize in those diagnoses.
What can clients expect to take away from sessions with you?
In our first session together expect a lot of questions and a lot of listening. This is when I get to know you, your experience, and try and get to know what you want to work on or at least start generating ideas on what to work on together. There is no judgment as your experience takes the number one spot in our conversation. We are getting to know each other, how we communicate and how we can work best together. That is our first session. It will be a little awkward; there will be some uncomfortable silences depending on our communication style together but it's all a part of the process.
What treatment methods and tools do you utilize?
The treatment methods I most adhere to are based on person-centered therapy where the person's experience is most valued. I listened to what your experience has been and used a strengths-based model to start with what is already useful and working for you and build from there. I mostly rely on CBT or cognitive behavioral techniques which are based on logical thinking and the connection between thoughts, emotions, and actions when working on what the client would like to work on based on the goals established during the first few sessions. I also use motivational interviewing to get to know you and your experience before establishing those goals and going from there.
Explain to clients what areas you feel are your biggest strengths.
I believe my biggest strengths are active listening and building rapport which is vital in the first few sessions. Establishing that caring relationship and connection is pivotal for the work that needs to be done in subsequent sessions. Without that base or foundation, it is extremely difficult for trust to be established and the true work to begin. I currently specialize in maintaining the symptoms of bipolar disorder and high-functioning anxiety and/or depression; helping the client gain a better understanding of both through critical thinking skills and truly thinking outside of the box to come up with coping skills that work for you.