Andrea Baxter
Hi, I’m Andrea. Do you find that you’re struggling to motivate yourself to do anything, or you’re sinking into increasingly negative feelings? Is your mind working overtime with worry, leaving you exhausted? Are you irritable and dread going to work each day? Are you suffering from grief and wondering if you'll ever feel normal again?
I am passionate about my work as a therapist because I know what it’s like to suffer with mental health challenges including work burnout, depression, anxiety and grief.
I provide help for those ages 30+ experiencing lingering unhappiness, constant stress, excessive worry, work burnout, and grief. I am a direct, empathetic, warm and open-minded therapist who can help you find joy and ease in day-to-day life. I will empower you to recognize learned patterns that may no longer be serving you, and to motivate yourself from kindness, not fear or judgment. I incorporate self-compassion and mindfulness techniques with traditional talk-therapy, creating a space for you to build confidence in making decisions, both big and small, that truly align with your values. There is hope, and therapy can help. Let’s work together to get you fully participating in life again!
First session
In the first session, I am just beginning to get to know you and understand your goals for therapy. I'll share more about my approach, and I will encourage you to share what brought you to therapy; and if you have been in therapy before, I'll ask what has or has not been helpful in that previous therapy work. The first session typically goes by very quickly, and clients often comment they feel relief after having shared what has been feeling so heavy to carry. We will typically meet weekly for at least the first two months. We will work on realistic goals to help you feel better, and I check in frequently to make sure you’re feeling supported in the ways that you need. I never have a set agenda for a session - I like to hear where you are at that moment. I will check in on topics we’ve talked about before when I think they are helpful, and I offer suggestions for new coping tools or ideas you can explore in between sessions so that you can process and integrate what we discuss into your daily life. As your well being improves, we will decide on a plan to meet less frequently.
Strengths
I am passionate about my work as a therapist because I know what it’s like to suffer with mental health challenges including work burnout, depression, anxiety and grief. My own experiences have enhanced my ability to recognize and provide space for other people’s pain. We are often taught to ‘push through’, to keep going, thinking that will somehow make it better. But it doesn’t. The reality is we cause more distress – and it takes longer to recover – when we avoid our emotions and needs. One of my biggest strengths is that I'm going to encourage you - over and over again - to place your needs first, which sometimes means making scary changes, decisions or having a really hard honest conversation with someone. But you can do it, and I'll be here to help you through.
Ideal clients
I am focused on adults ages 30+ who are struggling with depression, anxiety, grief, life stage changes, and work burnout/career changes. Additionally, I have experience with those struggling with infertility and reproductive loss, as well as those suffering from, or caring for loved ones with, neurological disorders such as ALS, PLS, and Parkinson's disease. I work well with clients who want to understand how their current values were formed and how it affects their actions, and who also like concrete steps to take to improve their well-being.
Location
Virtual sessions
Identifies as
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Serves
Doesn't specialize in
Licensed in
- ArizonaLicense LCSW-22980
- CaliforniaLicense 98583