New to Grow
I am a licensed clinical social worker who has worked for the past 8+ years in an outpatient program for mental health and substance use. These years have introduced me to various issues which include mood dysregulation, anxiety, crisis intervention, family conflict, trauma, substance use and abuse, along with severe mental health symptoms and more. I worked in leadership along with holding a clinical caseload so that I can best support the needs of all that entered the building while also supporting the clinical staff and providing guidance so they can confidently help those in need. My graduate school experience was working with children ages 5-18, another passion of mine which I look forward to doing again.
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
The first session is really about getting comfortable. It's a time to try to figure out what it is that you want out of therapy, even if just in the broadest sense. Letting me know what has helped or hindered therapy for you in the past is a great way to start. My approach is tailored to you based off what you need and the pace you are ready for. The therapeutic relationship is key to your engagement and I hope this time gives you the opportunity to feel out if you are comfortable working with me.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
I have always heard from clients (and other people around me) that they can become comfortable with me, rather quickly. I've been told that I create a safe space, I'm easy to talk to and people can tell that I genuinely care. I have always been proud of that because I can't personally imagine opening up to someone that doesn't create that environment for me. I hope my natural way of conveying that helps guide the rest of what we implement in sessions.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
I have never considered what an ideal client would be because I have worked with some many different individuals with diverse needs. Honesty has always been something that I admire because it can be such a challenging thing for any of us to do. Ideally, I would love to work with someone who is willing to be honest in the treatment process. Someone who is motivated to live a better life, whatever that might look like.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
CBT has been a beneficial tool whether it is used for mood regulation, anxiety, addiction or to just reframe how you think about life. In session, various tools could be introduced so that these effective skills can be implemented in your daily life. Some people prefer to use CBT homework to help them understand how it can be effective and practice, that is all about preference. I have always introduced these skills in a less formal way to start and if it's of interest, gone further into it.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
Everyone hears about being mindful and trying meditation, but these words may not mean anything to you until you actually put it into practice. DBT can help you live a more peaceful life by just adding simple exercises into your routine. Living in the now helps you learn gratitude and can help you leave the past behind. There are a lot of different ways to bring this into the session, some have preferred starting the session with a DBT exercise just to help them regulate and untangle the many thoughts in their mind so they can get the most out of the session. It's all about preference and what you are open to.
Motivational Interviewing
Sometimes we know we want to change but we aren't sure what exactly it is we should change or how to go about it. MI helps us gain insight into the outcome we are looking for and how to reach it. MI is something that I used daily working with individuals in recovery because not everyone is ready to live a sober life so it's about finding out what recovery looks like for you and how to take steps to get there. MI is not only for addiction, we all have habits we would like to change but may not know how to do it and what in our lives we are willing to change. MI can help us identify that.