Mikara Mason Dorsey
Hi! I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and my goal is to foster resilience, to help you reach your goals, uncover strengths, explore challenges, and create meaningful change in your life.
I also have a unique background working with anti-human trafficking organizations and survivors of trauma.
I believe in allowing each individual to be an active participant in therapy, and my role as a therapist is to work with you by offering support, reflection, and insights to help you reach your goals. I strive to make therapy a collaborative process and believe having a strong therapeutic relationship is one of the most important parts of effective therapy. I recognize the importance of tailoring sessions to suit your individual needs and would love to support you in your journey if you believe we would be a good fit!
First session
Our first session will be going over informed consent and the legal and ethical information as well as getting to know eachother to start building a therapeutic relationship to allow you to be comfortable in the space. We will also discuss any past therapy experience and discuss the goals for our sessions to see how I can best support you. You will never be forced to share anything you do not want to share or do not feel ready to discuss yet.
Strengths
I have a diverse background and have worked with many different populations and presenting problems, which has allowed me to gain an array of experience supporting a wide variety of clients. I also have a unique background working with anti-human trafficking organizations and survivors of trauma. I believe one of my greatest strengths is my empathetic nature, warm personality, and authenticity.
Ideal clients
I have experience supporting clients with many different needs such as anxiety, grief, low self-esteem, family dynamics, OCD, sports psychology, life transitions, self-harm, relationship issues, and trauma. I approach every session with empathy and compassion to create a safe and supportive space whether you are new or returning to therapy. I enjoy working collaboratively with those whom I work with, so if you feel you would be a good fit/ are an active participant in therapy, we may work well together! I strive to take any "pressure" off of coming therapy as well so it can be an enjoyable experience.
Treatment methods
Acceptance and commitment (ACT)
I can help you notice your anxious thoughts without feeling like you have to argue with them or prove them wrong. This lets us shift your energy away from managing your symptoms and toward taking real steps that align with the kind of life you want to lead. Accepting your thoughts and learning to work with them. A more solution focused approach to achieve your goals.
Cognitive Behavioral (CBT)
We work to identify the specific thought patterns that are making you feel stuck and look at the actual facts behind them. By shifting those unhelpful habits and testing out new ways of responding, we work together to lower your stress and improve your daily life by finding helpful coping skills.
Compassion Focused
We can work to replace your harsh inner voice with a more supportive voice, recognizing that your struggles are a natural part of being human rather than a personal failure. We work on building your "compassionate muscle" so you can soothe your own distress and feel safe enough to face life's challenges with more ease.
Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy
The goal is to learn about the beliefs that we have and learn where they come from to challenge them and create room for new thought patterns.
Dialectical Behavior (DBT)
DBT uses many helpful skills such as mindfulness, distress tolerance, and emotional regulation skills to help with acceptance and emotional regulation. We can use these ideas to help make meaningful, helpful and supportive changes.
Location
Virtual sessions