I am a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist who has over 20 years of working with children, adults, and families. I bring that experience to the therapy room. I have a high emotional intelligence, and I believe that EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION is a SUPERPOWER!! I am an advocate for family preservation and women's empowerment. Women play central roles in nurturing families and strengthening communities. However, they can lose themselves while caring for others. I love to help women prioritize their own self-care needs to help them be the best version of themselves when they show up for others. Let me remind you of who you are! I especially enjoy working with teenagers and helping to bridge the communication gap within the family unit that often arises as children get older. I am a Christian. I have a wealth of experience with African American families and is LGBTQ+ friendly. I offer a solution focused approach to therapy. Solution-Focused Brief Therapy is an approach that empowers clients to own their abilities in solving life’s problems and recognize their strengths. Rather than traditional psychotherapy that focuses on how a problem was derived, SFT allows for a goal-oriented focus to problem-solving. I am available in the late afternoons/evenings, and I am accepting new clients.
In our first session together, here's what you can expect
During our first session, you will get to know a little about me and my background. I will get to know the basics about you and go over any assessments you have already completed. We will then discuss your reason for seeking therapy and discover your best hopes for the therapy process. After this discussion, we will begin working on your family genogram, which will give me insight into your family dynamics while also providing important family history.
The biggest strengths that I bring into our sessions
I have a high emotional intelligence. I can relate to my clients because of my own past childhood traumas and upbringing. I am a strong believer in the family unit and self-esteem. I am a great communicator, and I stay curious. With me you will feel seen, heard, and understood. You will leave my sessions feeling validated and more capable. I provide a safe and judgment-free space for you. I am not the expert on your life, you are. While I am empathetic, I am also direct and will at times challenge your thinking and processes to help strengthen you. I am not someone who just “gives advice” or listens silently. I work hard to create a space that empowers you to explore, understand, and grow.
The clients I'm best positioned to serve
I love a client who is honest and open to feedback. I work best with clients who are curious about self and are open to try to heal. They "show up" and are consistent in the process while taking accountability and responsibility for their healing. If you're doing your best to be honest, open, and consistent — even if you're struggling — you're already a perfect client for me! The most important thing is just showing up, again and again. That’s where change and healing starts.
Solution Focused Brief Treatment
As an SFBT therapist, I help you to focus on your goals and solutions, rather than delving deeply into past problems or trauma. We can talk about those things, but it will not be our focus. I believe that you already have the strengths and resources needed to make positive change and I will work with you to help you realize these things. As an SFBT therapist, I will work with you to identify what’s working and build on that, instead of analyzing what's wrong. Together, we will set clear, achievable goals, track progress on a regular basis and begin to make small and realistic steps towards change.
Couples Counseling
As a couples therapist, I believe that transparent and open communication is the key to a healthy relationship. I help romantic partners of all sexual orientations improve their communication, resolve conflict, and strengthen their emotional connection. Whether dating, engaged, married, or even separated, I will help to navigate challenges in a safe, nonjudgmental setting with the expectation of coming to an amicable solution for the couple that best fits their needs. I will help the couple to solve issues including frequent arguments, trust issues/infidelity, different parenting styles, financial stress, and intimacy/sexual concerns.
Family Therapy
As a family therapist, my goal is to improve how family members interact, communicate, and support each other—especially when they're facing conflict, stress, or major life changes. Instead of focusing only on one person’s issues, I help the family look at how problems are influenced by the whole family system. I can help the family navigate through divorce/separation, blended family issues, trauma, teen behavior issues and mental health struggles. We will focus on effective communication, compassion and conflict resolution. I can also help family members solidify and define their roles within the family system.
Strength-Based
All of my treatments come from a strength-based approach. I believe the client is the expert on their life. I will help you to identify what's already working and build on it. I help to focus on what is going well, not on what is broken. My goal is to build hope, resilience, and increase motivation.