LMFT, 22 years of experience
Welcome, Illinois and Indiana residents. I've been a licensed mental health therapist for 20+ years and have had a variety of different roles in the behavioral health field. I believe my personal and employment experiences over the years help to inform the way I am with clients today. I help clients in a number of areas including those struggling with anxiety, depression, LGBTQIA+ issues, trauma and PTSD, grief, life transitions, parenting concerns, self-esteem, self-harming behaviors, body image issues, and women's issues. My favorite part of being a therapist is when clients have that "aha" moment -- that new discovery about a particular belief or behavior that has held them back. Once that moment shows up there is space for new growth to take root.
During the initial session I'll be asking a variety of questions to get a better understanding of what you've been struggling with and what you're looking to change. By the end of this session, we'll come up with some goals which we will monitor throughout your treatment. The length of treatment varies greatly on a number of factors, so we also will discuss your goals related to timeline and session frequency.
I'm compassionate, intuitive, supportive, and clients tend feel comfortable with me. We're all on a healing journey if we choose to be. I believe my own struggles, particularly when I was younger, have been the most powerful motivators of my work as a therapist. It's WHY I became a therapist. Had I not found qualified mental health providers who helped me grow and change, I'm not sure where I'd be today. Because of my work with them, I know life can be different and better. It's common to feel alone, stuck, and sometimes hopeless when you're in the midst of a struggle, so it's very important to know that things can change and improve.
If you want to get a better feel for who I am and ask any questions about the therapy process, go ahead and schedule a 15-minute consult to see if the fit is right. The clients I can best serve are those who truly want to see a change in their lives. I work with clients who have varying issues including those struggling with issues of trauma from abuse, depression, anxiety, LGBQTIA+ issues, relationship issues, life changes, self-harming behaviors, body image issues, and grief. At this time, my practice is limited to ages 18 and older.
I use a number of different therapy methods, but the main one is Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) as it's effective for a number of different issues. CBT helps clients to identify unhelpful thought patterns and beliefs which get in the way of having a more productive and satisfying life. Just a few examples of these cognitive distortions include black-and-white thinking, catastrophizing, and jumping to conclusions. Once clients learn to identify these thoughts and beliefs and how they impact behavior, they can then implement new coping skills which will lead to feeling better.
Traumatic events can significantly interfere with daily functioning. Depending on the trauma and circumstances around that trauma(s), clients can carry this pain around for years. It's important for clients to feel safe and validated when working through these difficult experiences so that they can heal and feel more empowered in their daily lives.
Other therapy methods I use are Attachment Based, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT), Psychoeducation, and Strength Based. It really depends on the situation and what a client needs.