New to Grow
You appear calm and put together on the outside, internally you feel overwhelmed and exhausted. You've been doing everything you can to keep things together so no one notices how much you're struggling, but lately it feels harder to manage. You're doing your best to hold on, yet you worry that one more stressful situation could push you past your limit. You continue to smile, show up, and tell yourself you're okay, even when deep down you know you're not. Because you look “fine” to others, people may not realize how heavy things have become for you. You often minimize your own pain by comparing yourself to others, convincing yourself that you should just be grateful because “others have it worse.” As a result, prioritizing your emotional well-being can feel selfish or undeserved. If this describes you, and you are ready to stop overthinking, you are no longer willing to put your own needs on the backburner, you are ready to silence the inner critic, work on your personal and/or professional relationships, and you want to stop just going through the motions, we should talk. I have the credentials that every other therapist has earned, representing the commitment of a competent practitioner. However, its important to note that my caring coupled with my competence makes me who I am. I am a person of faith, wife (retired military veteran) mother, grandmother, and dog mom. I've navigated many seasons of life overcoming grief and loss, divorce, careers, the sandwich generation (caring for aging parents and small children), financial challenges, and blending a family. All the makings for stress, anxiety, and depression. During these and other dark seasons, it was the professional help holding my hand through the darkness until I could see the light again. Let's walk together to the light.
During our first session, I will give you a safe and supportive space to share and be heard. Listening to you intently, will help me to understand you and the reason you made the brave decision to begin therapy with me. I will also gather a lot of information from you during our first session that will come from your sharing, or questions that I might ask. Information gathering is vitally important to developing a strong therapeutic relationship. I need to fully understand your expectations and discuss what you would like to accomplish as a result of committing to sessions. We will begin to formulate goals that are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timebound (SMART). These goals will lead us during our time together, and help us measure progress.
Lived experiences, a non-judgmental stance and the belief that every individual is valuable and unique. I don't set hard and fast rules but rather have the ability to listen intently with an open mind. Perhaps the greatest of all strengths is my ability to help you unleash the power that you already have. The answer is in you and I am here to help you get to it.
I am passionate about working with individuals who are ready to embrace change and begin the journey toward healing and personal growth. Many of my clients come carrying emotional pain, disappointment, trauma, or life challenges that have left them feeling overwhelmed or uncertain about their next steps. Despite these struggles, they are seeking clarity, hope, and a healthier way forward. I work best with those who are open to self-exploration, willing to identify unhealthy patterns, and motivated to make meaningful changes in their lives. In our work together, I provide a supportive and compassionate environment where healing can take place, resilience can be strengthened, and lasting transformation can emerge.
Other specialties
I identify as
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
I've helped dozens of clients reduce distressing symptoms by increasing an awareness of how thoughts, feelings, and behaviors are interconnected. When my clients gain an awareness of this interconnection, we work collaboratively to explore ways of change, enabling the client to live a satisfying and productive life.
Christian Counseling
The root of Christianity is love. Love never gives up, never loses faith, is always hopeful, and endures through every circumstance. I combine the love principles with evidence-based therapeutic techniques. This approach help clients to recognize that they can endure through every circumstance in life which often includes grief and loss, depression, anxiety workplace challenges, relationship issues, caring for young children, divorce, taking care of elderly parents, and aging. I find that clients are capable of extending grace and patience to others, while losing hope for their own lives. I partner with clients to work through these issues empowering them to break through guilt, perfectionism and unrealistic self-imposed expectations to create that hope in the kind of life that they desire again.
Strength-Based
Every person that I have ever entered into session with, comes with unique strengths, skills, and abilities. Often times, I find that my clients fail to recognize the strengths within because they become buried under a life full of challenges. When the client is able to dig through challenges, and clearly see their strengths, we put those strengths to work, ultimately brining about positive change, leading to a calmer, more satisfying, fulfilling, productive life.
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
I use Solution Focused Brief Treatment to help my clients create a vision of an ideal future. We identify the problem, determine the solution for the problem, and we go to work creating what the client has identified as a satisfying and fulfilling life. We take a brief look in the rear view mirror to understand the problem, then shift to looking through the wide window of opportunities ahead.