LCSW, 27 years of experience
Hello! I am a Licensed Clinical Social Worker based in Indiana. I received my Masters in Social Work from Indiana University. I have been practicing for 26 years and work with teens through elders who may be struggling with stress, anxiety, and depression. I work to assist all my clients recognize their own strengths to battle whatever comes their way.
In our first session together, clients will be given chance to share what they feel is most pertinent and concerning for them at that time. They will be given the space to share about themselves and what works for them along what has not worked in the past. I will then ask them to give some information about what they are most hoping to get out of sessions. This will help us to set up initial treatment goals and give direction for future sessions.
I have many years of experience working with a wide range age range of clients. I also have experience with clients who have had developmental challenges along with chronic mental health issues. I have been able to see the impact counseling services can do for people when they are willing to accept help and believe in themselves. I work from a strengths based model and meet clients where they are in order to pinpoint what strengths they have that will assist them in that moment. I believe everybody is a unique individual and that each treatment plan should be catered to that individual based off their own personal goals.
I love working with people of all ages. I enjoy hearing each individual's story to assist them in connecting their past with their present. My clients enjoy connecting how experiences of their past may be effecting their current lives. My clients work to recognize their own triggers to anxiety and depressive symptoms and from their develop coping skills to succeed in our future.
I utilize this treatment in a step by step process. I believe our past greatly impacts decisions we make in our present moment and how important it is to understand how those past experiences effect our reactions to stressors or emotionally triggering events. Using CBT you identify the triggers and work to change our reaction to stressor and emotions that we encounter on a daily basis.
I use Mindfulness to assist with everyday stressors and anxiety. As we all live busy lives it is so important to take a breathe, look around, and listen to all the that is around us. By practicing mindfulness we relax our minds, provide focus, and give ourselves the space to manage what is ahead.
I love to hear my client's stories. This allows me to pinpoint strengths that they may not see themselves. Once we recognize the strength we have utilized to get through our tough times we can then build on our confidence and see how we use those strengths on a daily basis to build self-esteem.