LMSW-C, 10 years of experience
I have learned over the years that therapy needs to be a place where you feel safe and supported without judgement. I am compassionate and supportive but willing to be direct in my guidance. I want to partner with you to help you gain a better understand of yourself and how you interact with the world around you. I have extensive experience working with people in the mental health field. I’ve worked the psychiatric emergency room at the University of Michigan, doing crisis outreach in Charlotte, North Carolina and within the community here in Ann Arbor. Through my 8 years of working as a social worker I have learned how to connect with people who have been a lot of distrust of others and have been hurt over and over. I am patient in building a relationship with you and hold no judgement for the choices you have made in the past.
I want to make sure I answer all your questions and we build a real foundational relationship together before diving into the tough stuff. Let's talk about what therapy is and what is is not, what you want to get out of it so I know exactly what your expectations are. Then we can make a concrete plan before moving forward together.
Ive worked in a lot of different places and with a lot of different people throughout my 10 plus years. Nothing is new to me but if it is- lets figure it out together. This needs to be a space where you feel safe, heard and where we can openly try and explore new ways to experience the world- after all you are here for change, right?
I provide therapy in a safe and accepting environment where your problems can start to feel less overwhelming or all-consuming. Seeking therapy is an investment in oneself, and I believe it is my honor as a therapist to empower clients to find and live their own paths and truths.
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy is effective for a number of mental health issues. Rather than focusing on symptoms and symptom reduction, it focuses on changing how you cope with your experience. Mindfulness is a large component of ACT and has and has even broader range of benefits, including reduced stress and increased awareness of the present.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) helps you understand the connection between your thoughts and feelings and how they influence your behavior. Clients will learn how long-held beliefs create automatic thoughts about ourselves and our lives, gain awareness of the impact of thoughts on our mood, and apply thought awareness to our daily lives to dispute our unhelpful thoughts. CBT is an evidence-based short-term approach that is highly-effective. CBT is an effective solution for a variety of concerns including Anxiety, Depression, Panic Disorders, PTSD, OCD, Insomnia, and Addictions/Substance Abuse.
Dialectical” means combining opposite ideas. DBT focuses on helping people accept the reality of their lives and their behaviors, as well as helping them learn to change their lives, including their unhelpful behaviors.
Using bilateral stimulation we are able to target specific memories, events, and sensations to desensitize our trauma response. We then integrate a more adaptive (positive) core belief system that allows us to make choices and react to the world in a way that aligns with our intentions.