Licensed to practice in Florida and accepts 9 insurances. Specializes in Anxiety, Autism, Trauma and PTSD and 10 more.
(she/her)
New to Grow
Hi, I'm Kayla, a licensed mental health counselor with about three years of counseling experience. I specialize in supporting people who are experiencing anxiety, navigating life transitions or an autism diagnosis, and working to improve their mood and overall well-being. I believe that a strong, trusting therapeutic relationship is the foundation of meaningful change. My goal is to create a comfortable, supportive space where you feel safe being yourself and talking openly about your experiences. I also incorporate mindfulness and grounding techniques to help you feel more present, manage difficult emotions, and build practical coping skills.
During our first session, we'll focus on getting to know one another and building a foundation for our work together. I'll explain my approach to therapy, review important practice policies and procedures, and learn more about your background, goals, and what brings you to therapy. You're welcome to share as much or as little as you feel comfortable discussing. My goal is to create a relaxed, supportive environment where you feel at ease while also gently guiding the conversation to ensure we cover the information needed to begin your care. I like for my clients to be able to take at least one coping skill away from the first session.
One of my greatest strengths as a therapist is my ability to build genuine, authentic connections with my clients while creating a safe, supportive, and nonjudgmental space where they feel heard. I bring experience from a variety of clinical settings, including residential treatment, private practice, community mental health, work with older adults, and serving as a middle school therapist. This diverse background allows me to comfortably navigate a wide range of concerns and tailor my approach to meet each client's unique needs and goals.
I help clients to learn how to identify unhelpful thinking patterns and how to reframe them into more helpful ones. CBT focuses on current situations rather than diving deep into past events. I use CBT often in my practice to help clients understand how their thoughts and feelings impact their behaviors.
I help my clients to combine mindfulness with acceptance strategies with commitment and behavior-change steps that align with their personal values.
This modality helps to improve relationships and emotional health. I help my clients to spot the conflict patterns in their relationships, teach them how to respond more effectively, express hidden emotional needs, and then apply those new communication skills.
I often incorporate mindfulness techniques into therapy, like the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique, mindfulness meditation, body scanning, and breath work.
I believe that connecting with my clients is the foundation for achieving therapeutic goals.