LISW, 16 years of experience
Hi there! I'm a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW-C, LISW) providing therapy to clients located in Ohio and Maryland. I obtained my Masters Degree of Social Work from the University of Maryland, School of Social Work and have been practicing for over 16 years. I help adolescents and adults discover effective ways to make their lives easier, happier, and more enjoyable. I provide a space of compassion, acceptance, compassion, and empathy, which helpls clients feel safe and empowered, both in and outside of therapy.
During the first session, we will get to know each other as it relates to the challenges that led you to explore the many benefits of therapy. As I explain the parameters of the therapy process and its limitations, you will have the opportunity to ask questions at any time. We will begin talking about your life experiences and what you hope to achieve from our work together. From there, we will develop a preliminary treatment plan as time permits.
Having over 16 years of experience as a Therapist trained in various treatment methods, I provide a space full of acceptance, compassion, empathy, and empowerment so you can feel safe and fully engaged in your therapy process. I have a passion for helping people recover from their traumatic experiences and the lasting effects.
Whether a person is struggling with Relationships, Parenting, Life Transitions, ADHD, Trauma, Depression, Workplace Issues, Anxiety, or Grief, I love helping people break through barriers and experience some truly amazing triumphs.
I have been incorporating CBT in my work with clients for more than 16 years to help clients establish better coping skills and improve their quality of life. When we can't change the situations we are in, we can at least change how we cope with them by changing our mindset which can reduce emotional distress.
Being a Culturally Sensitive Therapist means that I believe in getting to know your personal beliefs and experiences as they relate to your cultural identities. Taking a personalized approach to understanding, appreciating, and validating your experiences in any particular culture paves the way for you to receive the most effective treatment. When we know that someone has taken the time to understand our particular experiences rather than make general assumptions, we feel respected and valued. People within any particular culture can, and often do, have vastly different experiences than what has been generalized, so it only makes sense to learn about and honor each client's true experiences rather than make assumptions.
Creating compassion for yourself and for others is a skill that can improve the overall quality of your life. We will work together and explore the use of kinder thoughts and actions to help you reduce stress, regulate your emotions, develop a happier mindset, and improve your relationships. Research has shown that practicing compassion can help you become less critical of yourself and others and actually improve your physical health, including lowering blood pressure and cortisol levels.
Person-Centered therapy is rooted in the concept that we all have the innate ability to determine what we need to change in our lives and the best ways to do so. Incorporating this approach can be quite effective in building your self-confidence, enhancing your relationships, establishing healthier coping skills, feeling empowered to make decisions, and discovering your authentic self. Rather than seeing me as the expert, you will be working on becoming your own expert in navigating situations and conditions such as depression, life transitions, anxiety, trauma, and relationships.
As a trauma-informed therapist, I listen wholeheartedly to what your life experiences and challenges have been. You can count on us exploring how your life has been affected by traumatic experiences and discover ways to work through it all. Acceptance, compassion, empathy, and dedication to providing safe and effective therapy will always be at the heart of our work!